April 4, 2003	Friday	Safar 1, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, April 3: Pakistan on Thursday warned India of grave consequences if it tried any “misadventure” in the name of pre-emptive military action.

“Any misadventure by India will be met with full force,” Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri said in answer to Indian Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha’s remarks in an interview on Wednesday.

Mr Sinha told AFP that international opinion about India’s position on disputed Kashmir had been boosted by the precedent set by the US-led invasion of Iraq.

“We derive some satisfaction ... because I think all those people in the international community ... realize that India has a much better case to go for pre-emptive action against Pakistan than the US has in Iraq,” he said.

Mr Kasuri said a pre-emptive action campaign by India would have grave consequences.

“India should not harbour any illusion of launching pre-emptive strikes against Pakistan as it would constitute a major miscalculation on India’s part, leading to grave consequences.”

Mr Kasuri said Mr Sinha’s statement was “ridiculous and contradictory.”

He said the Indian foreign minister would be well advised “not to use such irresponsible and provocative language for domestic political gains and instead focus on peaceful resolution of all issues between India and Pakistan....”—AFP