ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has warned that the Pakistan-India conflict could escalate further.
Talking to journalists at Parliament House, Asif said that India attacked the Neelum-Jhelum hydropower plant in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and such an act must be responded to.
He said that Parliament and the public would be taken into confidence regarding the current situation.
It is worth noting that India launched attacks on civilian areas of Pakistan last night, effectively sounding the drums of war.
In response to the Indian strikes, Pakistan’s armed forces delivered a strong retaliatory blow, downing five Indian fighter jets — including three Rafales — and destroying several military check posts and a brigade headquarters.
Following the counterattack, Indian forces reportedly raised a white flag at the Chora complex along the Line of Control, conceding defeat.
Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that the Pakistan Air Force crushed India’s arrogance over Rafale jets and brought down Indian aircraft, making the nation proud. He said that Pakistan showed restraint, otherwise, it could have downed not five but 10 to 12 Indian jets.
Speaking in the National Assembly, Dar said it had been decided that the assembly would be briefed on the overall situation, but the session had to be postponed due to developments that occurred the previous night.
Referring to the April 22 incident in Pahalgam, Dar said the Prime Minister was in Ankara at the time. “We issued a strong condemnation through the Foreign Office, which was noted internationally. The next day, upon our return, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level security meeting. While Pakistan was not named, the remarks made were clearly directed against us.”