Tensions have been rising between the nuclear-armed neighbours following a deadly terrorist attack in Kashmir.
Pakistan is expecting an Indian military incursion following last week’s deadly attack in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir region, Pakistan’s defense minister told Reuters on Monday.
On April 22, militants gunned down 26 tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir. The attack has triggered outrage across Hindu-majority India and led to calls for swift action against Muslim-majority Pakistan.
Speaking to Reuters, Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said the country’s military is ready to face the mounting threats.
“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.
According to Asif, Pakistan’s military has briefed the government about the possibility of an Indian attack. However, he did not provide further specifics regarding the intelligence underlying his assessment.
New Delhi has accused Islamabad of supporting militants in Kashmir, a border region claimed by both countries and the source of previous wars between them.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condemned the attack and vowed a firm response. “I say to the whole world, India will identify, trace, and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth,” he stated. “Every effort will be made to ensure that justice is done.”
New Delhi has so far only taken diplomatic steps in retaliation, including the expulsion of all Pakistanis in the country, the closure of the Wagah-Attari border between the two nations, and a suspension of the 1960 Indus Water Treaty on the joint use of the Indus River system.
Islamabad has denied any involvement and has called for a neutral and transparent investigation into the incident.
The defense minister emphasized that Pakistan remains on high alert, but stated that its nuclear arsenal would only be employed if there was “a direct threat to our existence.”
Asif also clarified that his remarks to another outlet on Monday, that a war between India and Pakistan could start in 2-4 days, had been misconstrued.
“I think it has been misinterpreted on some other channel. I have already talked to them and I have not said anything like this,” Pakistani daily The Express Tribune quoted him as saying. “They (the channel) asked me what are the chances of war, so I said that the next two to three days were crucial.”
Tensions over Kashmir have periodically led to flare-ups between India and Pakistan, both of which maintain significant troop deployments in the region.
