Washington: Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif has warned India against carrying out surgical strikes or targeting its nuclear installations, saying if that happens nobody should expect restraint from his country.
Referring to the statement of India's Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa that the Indian armed forces are ready for a full spectrum operation, Mr Asif said Pakistan wants to live in peace and harmony with its neighbours. But if India carries out any surgical strike in Pakistan or strikes at its nuclear installations "nobody should expect restraint from us", he warned.
Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa had earlier today said that the Indian Air Force has the capability of locating, fixing and striking across the border. He had also said that any decision on a surgical strike would be taken by the government. "As far as the IAF is concerned, it has the ability to locate, fix and strike and that is not only for tactical nuclear weapons but for other targets across the border (as well)," he had said.
The Air Chief was responding to questions about Pakistan's recent boast of short-range nuclear weapons to counter India's "Cold Start doctrine" and also on the Doklam standoff that ended in August. The "Cold Start doctrine" is a strategy to avoid a full-blown war using a low-intensity offensive.
The Indian Army had carried out surgical strikes last year on seven terror launch pads across the Line of Control inflicting "significant casualties" on terrorists preparing to infiltrate from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, 11 days after a terrorist attack on Uri army base that left 19 soldiers dead and several others injured.
Speaking at the US Institute of Peace, a Washington-based think-tank, Mr Asif said the "relationship with India is at a lowest ebb at the moment".
Responding to a question on India, he said, "Sadly India did not respond to Pakistani efforts to improve relationship."
"What is going on in Kashmir is the biggest roadblock to normalisation to talks," Mr Asif said.
With inputs from PTI
