Islamabad: Pakistan’s Minister of Defense, Khawaja Asif, has stated that the possibility of another attack from India cannot be dismissed, and that Pakistan must remain “extremely vigilant.”
Speaking to host Shahzad Iqbal on the Geo News, Asif addressed recent statements from India’s security establishment. He attributed these remarks to India’s internal politics, suggesting that the Modi government is under significant pressure.
Referencing the four-day period of heightened tensions between the two nations in May, the Defense Minister noted, “From social media to their parliament, criticism of the Indian government is relentless, and elections are not far off.”
“The second reason,” he continued, “is that India is becoming isolated, not just in the region but on a global scale. While the conflict with Pakistan was a cause, our country’s role in the region has since expanded, and we are gaining a positive reception from different countries and on various platforms.”
When asked directly if India might attempt another “misadventure,” Khawaja Asif responded, “We cannot rule out the possibility of another attack on Pakistan; we have to be very vigilant. We cannot afford to let our guard down because they (India) are in a state of great desperation.”
He asserted that the “capability of the Pakistani army has been proven, and India will certainly think twice before doing anything to avoid further losses.” However, he added a word of caution, using the metaphor that whether a person or an animal, “anything can be expected from it when it is in a wounded state.”
Responding to a question about the logic of India’s statements following the new Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defense pact—which states an attack on one country will be considered an attack on both—Asif claimed the Indian leadership is making such “irresponsible statements” to restore their credibility with their domestic audience, reflecting their deep-seated frustration.