Islamabad, November 25: Pakistan has issued a verbal salvo, accusing its archrival India of preparing for a “limited” war against it.
“India has long been working on the so-called ‘Cold Start’ strategy and preparing for a limited war against Pakistan,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Abdul Basit said Tuesday in response to an earlier statement by the Indian Army chief.
General Deepak Kapoor told a seminar on “Changing Nature of Conflict: Trends and Responses” Monday that the possibility of a limited war under a nuclear overhang was still a reality in South Asia.
The strongly-worded statement from Pakistan came amid a latest exchange of barbs between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, having a violent history of mutual suspicions and wars.
The two countries have fought three wars since they gained independence from Great Britain in 1947. Two were over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.
Basit said General Kapoor’s remarks only reaffirm India’s dangerous and offensive nuclear doctrine. “The statement confirms the hegemonic thrust of India’s nuclear doctrine.”
He urged the international community to take notice of these remarks and India’s long-term intentions.
“The major powers have a particular responsibility in this regard. They (Indians) should refrain from steps that in any manner negatively affect the strategic balance in South Asia,” the spokesman said.
Basit warned that Pakistan is fully capable of safeguarding its national sovereignty and defending its borders but as a responsible country, it would continue promoting peace and stability in South Asia on the basis of equality and mutual respect.
The two countries launched a peace process in 2004 to solve all outstanding issues through talks, but it was abandoned after India blamed Pakistan-based militants for the Mumbai terror attacks last November.
Pakistan has been urging India to restart the peace process to solve all outstanding issues but India has refused, saying that it would not come to the talking table unless the alleged perpetrators of Mumbai attack were punished by Pakistan.
–PTI