PESHAWAR, May 20: Former NWFP Chief Minister, Aftab Sherpao has expressed grave concern over the escalating tensions between Pakistan and India and asked for exercising maximum restraint.

He called upon the international community to intervene in the matter and save South Asia from the wrath of nuclear war.

In a statement issued on Sunday, he feared that the increasing hostilities between Islamabad and New Delhi could push South Asia into the deadly nuclear war. He said the war threats emanating from India to teach a lesson to Pakistan had created war hysteria in the region.

The leader of his own faction of PPP lashed out at the ruling Bharatia Janata Party for having adopted an anti-Pakistani and anti-Muslim posture in order to pursue its extremist agenda.

He alleged that after the failure of Indian government to bring to an end the riots in Gujarat state, it had now staged another drama to divert the public attention from real issues.

He said it was unfortunate on the part of Indian leadership to blame Pakistan for its internal turmoil.

He rejected the Indian allegations that Pakistan was involved in attack on Jammu military camp, saying that Pakistan had condemned the terrorist act.

The ex-CM contended that the Kashmiris had started struggle for right to self determination that the Indians had denied them for over five decades.

“The tension can only be reduced if India adopted sagacious measures for holding negotiations with Pakistan,” he argued.

He condemned the unprovoked Indian shelling that resulted in the killing of civilians, adding that the use of violent means would be disastrous for peace.

The PPP leader resented the unanimous resolution passed by the Indian parliament, saying that it was deplorable that political parties in India had also been misled by the vicious propaganda of extremist BJP.

He believed that war was no solution to issues and these could only be resolved through meaningful dialogues.

He flayed New Delhi for having closed the highest diplomatic channels that would further aggravate the already tense situation.

He said that if India imposed war on us, the Pakistani nation would respond to the aggression with unity.

He called for an effective strategy evolved by consensus to counter the Indian aggression.