Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif has admitted the rising threat, saying that India could launch an attack on Pakistan anytime as the threat of conflict still exists between the two nations.
The deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam has pushed tensions between India and Pakistan to a boiling point. In the wake of the assault, India has begun preparations for large-scale action against Pakistan. According to sources, the Indian armed forces have crafted a coordinated strategy to corner Pakistan across land, air, and sea. Meanwhile, sensing India’s aggressive posture, panic has set in across Pakistan which forced authorities to shut down the airspace between Islamabad and Lahore until April 30.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif has admitted the rising threat, saying that India could launch an attack on Pakistan anytime as the threat of conflict still exists between the two nations. He claimed that Pakistan remains on high alert and added that nuclear weapons would only be used if there is a direct threat to the country’s existence. In an interview, Asif first stated that a war between India and Pakistan could erupt within the next two to three days. However, later he appeared to backtrack, clarifying that he did not predict a war within three days, but merely stressed that the next three to four days would be crucial.
“I was asked about the possibility of war… I said the next three to four days are important, but I did not say that war would erupt within three days,” Asif was quoted as saying by Pakistan’s Geo News. His comments come at a time when both nations have bolstered military deployments along the borders following the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam which killed 26 innocent people on April 22.
Pakistani Army in disarray amid war fears
The looming threat of an Indian military strike has reportedly triggered chaos within the Pakistani Army. In a letter to Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir, Lieutenant General Umar Ahmad Bukhari revealed that 1,450 soldiers, including 250 officers, have resigned over the past 72 hours. Since the Pahalgam attack, around 5,000 troops and officers have quit the Pakistani military. The resignations reportedly include 520 from the 12th Corps Quetta, 380 from the Force Command Northern Areas, and 550 from the First Corps Mangla.
Rajnath Singh briefs PM Modi on military readiness
Earlier on Sunday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to brief him on the armed forces’ preparedness. The high-level meeting lasted around 40 minutes. Before this, Singh held detailed discussions with Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan. Sources indicate that PM Modi, in clear terms, emphasised that the masterminds of terrorism must be eliminated completely.
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