• Responding to Indian counterpart’s statement, defence minister warns of decisive response if provoked
• Says New Delhi will be better served by confronting growing unease within its own strategic, diplomatic space
ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday reminded his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh that the “illusion of space for war between two nuclear states is inconceivable and has drastic consequences”.
The reprimand was ostensibly in reaction to Mr Singh’s recent statement, in which he warned Pakistan against any attempted “misadventure” under the shadow of the ongoing Middle East war, as reported by Indian media.
“Repeated rhetoric reflects not strength, but visible strategic anxiety as the anniversary of the staged false-flag operation in Pahalgam approaches — an episode that failed to withstand international scrutiny and exposed New Delhi’s reliance on manufactured crises,” stated Mr Asif’s post on X, in which he did not specifically refer to the statement but tagged Mr Singh.
“Such threat-mongering is not new; it is part of a predictable pattern — externalising internal fragility and attempting to provoke escalation under the guise of unsubstantiated allegations for vested political interests,” he added.
The Pahalgam episode, which took place on April 22 last year, saw tourists being attacked in India-occupied Kashmir. New Delhi, without evidence, linked it to Pakistan, leading to a brief military escalation between the two countries. Islamabad had strongly denied responsibility for the attack while calling for a neutral investigation.
The Pakistan Army later designated the period of conflict with India from the April 22 Pahalgam attack to the May 10 conclusion of its operation, Bunyanum Marsoos, as Marka-i-Haq (Battle of the Truth).
‘Decisive response’
In his post, Mr Asif said history stood as a stark reminder that miscalculation had consequences.
“Marka-i-Haq remains fresh in our minds. The next time, our response will be even more forceful and decisive,” he warned.
“Let there be no ambiguity: Pakistan remains committed to peace and regional stability, but its resolve to defend sovereignty is absolute, its preparedness complete, and its response will be swift, calibrated, and decisive,” he added.
“Let me remind Rajnath Singh that the illusion of space for war between two nuclear states is inconceivable and has drastic consequences.”
He said India would be better served by “confronting the growing unease within its own strategic and diplomatic space”.
Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2026
