Pakistan's Defense Minister Warns of 'Real Risk' of War With India

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has once again issued strong warnings against India, stating that “the chances of war with India are real” and stressing that he is “not denying that possibility.” His remarks came during an interview with Samaa TV, where he also made historical and ideological claims about both nations.

“I do not want escalation, but the risks are real and I am not denying that. If it comes to war, God willing, we will achieve a better result than before,” Asif said, signaling a willingness to confront India militarily if necessary.

Asif also claimed that India was historically never a united nation, apart from briefly under Aurangzeb, while Pakistan was created in the name of Allah. He highlighted that, despite internal disagreements and competition among Pakistanis, the country unites in the face of conflict with India. “History shows that India was never one united nation, except briefly under Aurangzeb. Pakistan was created in the name of Allah. At home, we argue and compete. In a fight with India, we come together,” he added.

These statements follow similar comments made earlier this week, in which Asif warned that any future Indian “aggression” would provoke an even stronger response from Pakistan. His latest remarks were made in the context of recent warnings by Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi.

General Dwivedi had stated that India would not show the same restraint in any future conflict as it did during Operation Sindoor 1.0. “India is fully prepared this time. We will not show the restraint we exhibited during Operation Sindoor 1.0. This time, the action will be such that Pakistan will have to think whether it wants to exist geographically,” he said while visiting forward positions near Bikaner.

Operation Sindoor was an Indian Air Force operation carried out in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 civilians dead. The operation targeted terrorist infrastructure and military assets within Pakistan, causing significant losses to Pakistani forces.

The operation specifically hit nine terrorist facilities in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) headquarters at Bahawalpur and the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) base at Muridke. Indian air defence systems successfully intercepted multiple Pakistani drones and missiles, preventing damage to Indian military installations and civilian areas.

India and Pakistan have a long history of conflict since their independence in 1947. The first major war broke out in 1947 over the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir and ended with a ceasefire, leaving the region disputed.

The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, also fought over Kashmir, concluded with a Soviet-brokered ceasefire.

In 1971, during the Bangladesh Liberation War, India supported the Mukti Bahini forces in East Pakistan. The conflict led to the creation of Bangladesh after Pakistani forces surrendered on December 16, 1971.

The Kargil conflict of 1999 in Kashmir saw Pakistan withdrawing its forces following a brief but intense military engagement with India.

Source: ANI