Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has warned that India would be “relegated to history” and its geography will be “changed” if it attempts any future misadventure against Pakistan.
Speaking on a private news channel programme on Monday, Asif fired back at Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, who had recently remarked that Pakistan had “to decide whether they want to be part of geography or history or not”.
“By making those kinds of remarks, the Indian army chief is trying to regain his lost respect,” Asif maintained, adding that during Marka-e-Haq, India was significantly battered.
The defence minister was referring to last year’s military standoff with India beginning with the April 22 Pahalgam attack and the military conflict that followed which he said resulted in a victory for Pakistan before the ceasefire on May 10.
“As a nation, India thinks that its esteem has been damaged,” Asif told the programme, adding that Pakistan’s armed forces had given India a “devastating” response during the confrontation.
Asif also weighed in on remarks by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) secretary general, calling for keeping the window for dialogue between Islamabad and New Delhi open.
“There are also various critical voices against the government in India,” he noted, pointing out that the stance of the Indian army and civil society differs.
On the question of a possible India-Israel nexus against Pakistan, Asif said that the two countries may share similar objectives. “Israel doesn’t want anyone more powerful in this region other than its partner, India,” he said.
The defence minister also touched on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), saying the recent Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling had gone in Pakistan’s favour and that the agreement could not be suspended unilaterally given its dispute resolution mechanism.
On the possibility of fresh US-Israel strikes against Iran, Asif said that he did not see another war coming. “The American public’s opinion is very clear about the Iran war. Their public does not want America to fight Israel’s war,” he remarked, adding that wars cannot be fought without public support.
On Afghanistan, Asif disclosed that during meetings with Afghan Defence Minister Mullah Yaqoob, he pressed him on why Pakistan’s enemies were not being treated as Afghanistan’s enemies.
“If you cannot be an enemy of our enemies, at least do not be friends with them. Do not provide them shelter or give them arms,” he said.
He also acknowledged that India had made gains in Afghanistan, describing Kabul as acting “as a proxy for India against Pakistan”.
