Senior Pakistani official threatens India with nukes
Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi’s remark underscores rising tensions between the two rivals after terrorists shot 26 people in Kashmir Read Full Article at RT.com
A remark by the country’s railways minister underscores rising tensions after terrorists gunned down 26 people in Kashmir
Pakistani Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi has threatened India with a nuclear strike amid growing tensions between the neighboring countries. It follows a terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir region on Tuesday that left 26 tourists dead.
In a televised address on Sunday, Abbasi reminded India that Pakistan possesses numerous missiles and 130 nuclear warheads, which are “not for display.”
“Nobody knows where we have placed our nuclear weapons across the country. I say it again, these ballistic missiles, all of them are targeted at you,” the official stated.
Commenting on New Delhi’s decision on Wednesday to unilaterally suspend the key water-sharing Indus Waters Treaty, Abbasi charged that “if they stop the water supply to us, then they should be ready for a war,” echoing previous statements by Pakistani officials.
India, in turn, asserted earlier this week that the suspension would remain in place “until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism.”
New Delhi has never before suspended the treaty, which regulates river systems that impact millions of lives in both countries.
The already acrimonious relations between the two nuclear powers further soured on Tuesday, when several gunmen killed 25 Indian tourists and one Nepalese national in Baisaran Valley, a popular destination in the Kashmir region.
India was quick to accuse its neighbor of aiding militant infiltrations in Kashmir – an allegation Pakistan strongly denies.
The Resistance Front, a militant group allegedly linked to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has reportedly claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack. Indian police say that two of the suspects are Pakistani nationals.
On Wednesday, New Delhi downgraded diplomatic ties, expelled Pakistani diplomats and closed the land border with its neighbor.
Islamabad responded in kind, reiterating its accusations that India oppresses the majority-Muslim population of Kashmir.
According to NDTV, Indian and Pakistani troops have exchanged fire across the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir for a third night. The LoC is the de facto boundary between the countries. Indian security forces are also reportedly conducting anti-terrorist raids on their side of the border.
Speaking to Sky News earlier this week, Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif warned that the confrontation with India could escalate into an “all-out war” with a potentially “tragic outcome,” given that both nations are nuclear powers. He also alleged that New Delhi had staged the deadly incident earlier in the week.
