Summary Khawaja Asif says Pakistan will respond if war is imposed, prioritizes peace, criticizes India and discusses Afghan policy and PIA flights.
NEW YORK (Dunya News): Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Friday that Pakistan would respond forcefully if war is imposed on the country, referring to the military confrontation with India last year.
Speaking to Pakistani media after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's address, Asif said peace should remain the highest priority and praised the premier for what he described as a comprehensive message to the international community.
"If war is imposed on us, we will inflict the same fate as we did last year," Asif said. The defence minister also criticised previous governments' policies toward Afghanistan, saying the current administration was facing the consequences of decisions taken by earlier administrations.
Commenting on India, Asif accused New Delhi of hypocrisy and said Pakistan should not expect positive behaviour from its eastern neighbour. "India is our sworn enemy and such hypocrisy is to be expected from it," he said.
Asif also expressed optimism that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights to the United States would resume within six months, saying he was hopeful the service would be restored, God willing.
