The Statesman
IANS in India
Pakistan warns India against targeting its nuclear installations
'Khawaja Mohammad Asif' photo:fb
Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif has warned that if India launched a surgical strike on the countrys nuclear installations, nobody should expect restraint from Islamabad either, the media reported on Friday.
Asif’s made the remarks on Thursday in response to Indian Air Force chief B.S. Dhanoa’s statement on Wednesday that if India needed to carry out a surgical strike, his aircraft could target Pakistan’s nuclear installations and destroy them, reports Dawn news.
The Foreign Minister while addressing a discussion at the US Institute of Peace here urged Indian leaders not to contemplate such actions it could have “dire consequences”.
“Yesterday (Wednesday), the Indian air chief said we will hit, through another surgical strike, Pakistan’s nuclear installations. If that happens, nobody should expect restraint form us. That’s the most diplomatic language I can use,” Asif said.
The foreign minister, who is in Washington on a three-day official visit, met US National Security Adviser Gen H.R. McMaster on Thursday, a day after he held wide-ranging talks with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
While both Islamabad and Washinton have described the Asif-Tillerson talks as “positive” and “useful”, the Foreign Minister indicated that his meeting with McMaster was not as friendly as the earlier meeting.
“I will not be extravagant, yesterday’s meeting went very well, today’s meeting with Gen McMaster in the morning, I would be a bit cautious about it. But it was good. It was good. It wasn’t bad,” Asif said.