An invasion of Pakistani territory by the Indian Army is ‘imminent’, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told Reuters.
‘We have reinforced our forces because it is something which is imminent now. So in that situation some strategic decisions have to be taken, so those decisions have been taken,’ Asif said.
Khawaja Asif noted that India’s rhetoric was hardening and that the Pakistani military had informed the government of the possibility of an attack. Also, Pakistani authorities, he said, are in contact with China, Gulf countries, Britain and the US.
Asif did not elaborate on why he believed an invasion was imminent and whether, according to him, it would be full-scale or limited.
Relations between India and Pakistan came to a head after armed militants killed 26 people in the popular tourist town of Pahalgam in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April. A jihadist group based in the Pakistani part of Kashmir claimed responsibility for the attack. Indian authorities have signalled that they place at least part of the blame for the incident on Pakistan. India has closed its border with Pakistan and demanded that its citizens leave its territory.
Both Pakistan and India have nuclear weapons. Khawaja Asif said Pakistan would use them only if ‘there is a direct threat to our existence’.
