Arch enemies - Pakistan and India who both possess a formidable nuclear arsenal -
threaten the safety of the world as the former ramped up the threats
against its neighbour.
In a fresh anti-India tirades, Pakistan’s Defence minister, Minister
Khawaja Asif, threatened to use nuclear weapons in case of war against India, after it confirmed it
had launched a series of “surgical strikes” against suspected militants
sneaking across the border.
"We
will destroy India if it dares to impose war on us. Pakistan army is
fully prepared to answer any misadventure of India" Asif told a private
TV channel SAMAA, on September 26th, in answer to question about
India's intention to carry out surgical strike in Pakistan.
"We
have not made atomic device to display in a showcase. If such a
situation arises we will use it and eliminate India" he added
His salvo came in the wake of assault on an Indian army base in Uri. Four heavily
armed militants infiltrated an Indian military base in Kashmir earlier
this month, managing to break through the disputed Himalayan border,
where they opened fire, killing 18 soldiers and injuring scores more
In
response to the killings, Prime Minister Modi said: "I want to tell the
Pakistani people: India is ready to fight you. If you have strength,
come forward and fight against poverty. “Let's see who wins, who is able
to defeat poverty and illiteracy first, Pakistan or India?"
The two countries have observed a
ceasefire since 2003, but the peace is fragile and the latest escalation
between both parties could lead to all-out warfare. Both India and Pakistan claim Kashmir as their own sovereign land,
and have fought three wars over the territory since gaining independence
from the British in 1947.
The
Pakistani minister has also alleged that the attack was a "plan devised
by India itself" Maintaining that no proof implicating Pakistan
in the Uri attack had surfaced yet, Asif told Dawn News that "it was
evident the attack was a plan devised by India itself." He claimed that
India "orchestrated Uri attack to divert the attention of the world from
the Kashmir issue".
Meanwhile, India has said it has evidence showing
involvement of Pakistan-based terrorists in the Uri attack and demanded
that Islamabad refrain from supporting and sponsoring terrorism directed
against this country.
The minister claimed that the entire world
knows now that India is not as serious about resolving the Kashmir
dispute as Pakistan is. He claimed India has not received support from
anywhere despite launching a diatribe against Pakistan and added that
China had, on the other hand, supported Pakistan's viewpoint.
Also commenting on a bill moved in the US Congress
to label Pakistan as a terrorist state, he said that anti-Pakistan
elements are present in each and every country but the impacts of their
voices depend on the policies of these countries.
"Five or 10 voices raised against us are not enough evidence to declare Pakistan a terrorist state," he said.