Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has strongly warned India against any military misadventure, asserting that Pakistan is "200% ready" to respond to any form of aggression with full force.
In an exclusive interview with Samaa TV, the defense minister made it clear that Pakistan does not seek conflict, nor is it contemplating the use of nuclear power. However, he emphasized that Pakistan’s nuclear capability is a vital deterrent and a guarantee of its survival.
“We are a nuclear state not because we want war, but because it ensures our sovereignty,” Khawaja Asif said. “We have no intention of initiating conflict, but if India chooses aggression, we will respond in kind — and decisively.”
India planning terrorism in Pakistan
Khawaja Asif revealed that intelligence reports have confirmed that India is actively planning terror attacks in Pakistan's major cities. He accused India of providing bombs to banned outfits like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to destabilize the country.
“India is backing bloodshed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. BLA and TTP are operating as India’s proxies. Their target is chaos in all four provinces of Pakistan,” he added.
The defense minister further accused India of having a global track record of sponsoring terrorism, pointing to incidents in Canada and the United States, and reiterated that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was once banned from entering the US due to his alleged involvement in the Gujarat riots.
Pulwama, Pahalgam & Indian media’s 'Bollywood spin'
Speaking about the recent Pahalgam attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir, Asif said India has no evidence linking Pakistan to the attack, yet the Indian media is dramatizing the issue in a "Bollywood-style narrative". He reminded that even during the Pulwama attack, voices within India had suggested it was a false flag operation.
“A large number of Muslims also lost their lives in Pahalgam. Yet Indian media continues to manipulate the story. Bollywood seems to have more influence on newsrooms than facts,” he remarked.
Indus Waters Treaty & regional stability
Khawaja Asif also addressed India’s reported move to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it a dangerous precedent. He said Pakistan will take the matter to the International Court of Justice.
He warned that rising tensions between two nuclear-armed neighbours could lead to regional and global instability, urging global powers to intervene responsibly.
Afghanistan's role & Pakistan’s sacrifices
The defense minister also highlighted that terrorism continues to spill into Pakistan from Afghanistan, and urged the interim Afghan government to stop allowing its land to be used for cross-border violence.
“We have sacrificed a lot for Afghanistan. Even today, six million Afghan refugees live in Pakistan. As neighbors, we expect cooperation in return, not violence.”
'Tea was fantastic': Nod to Abhinandan episode
In a veiled warning to India, Asif referenced the 2019 airspace violation by Indian pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, stating: “Whenever our airspace has been violated, the result is in front of everyone. We welcomed Nandan with tea — and sent him home after making our point.”
