Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif stated on Wednesday that the ongoing tension between India and Pakistan could be resolved if India steps down. His remarks followed Indian missile strikes on nine terror targets across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, carried out in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking to Bloomberg Television, Asif emphasized that Pakistan had only responded to India’s actions and was not the aggressor. He noted, “This has been initiated by India. If India is ready to back down, we will definitely wrap up this tension. He further added, “As long as we are under attack, under fire, we have to respond. We have to defend ourselves. But if India backs down, we will definitely wrap up this tension.”
The missile strikes, carried out by the Indian armed forces under ‘Operation Sindoor,’ targeted key terrorist sites, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold in Bahawalpur and the Lashkar-e-Taiba base in Muridke. These sites were chosen for their links to groups responsible for sponsoring terrorism in India.
This escalation followed the deadly attack in Pahalgam on April 22, which resulted in the deaths of 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen. India’s Ministry of Defence labeled the attacks “barbaric” and justified the military strikes as retaliation.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also weighed in on the situation, expressing Pakistan’s right to respond forcefully to what he described as an “act of war” by India. Sharif affirmed, “The entire nation stands with the Pakistani armed forces, and the morale and spirit of the entire Pakistani nation are high.” He added, “We will never allow the enemy to succeed in their nefarious goals.”
The Pakistani government has made it clear that it will continue to defend itself as long as the attacks persist. However, Asif’s comments suggest that Pakistan is open to de-escalating the situation, should India choose to de-escalate first.
The developments have heightened the already fragile relationship between the two countries, with tensions reaching new heights over the past few weeks.
