Ready to wrap tensions if India de-escalates: Pakistan Defence Minister – The Tribune

Pakistan is ready to “wrap up” tensions with India, if New Delhi de-escalates the situation, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Wednesday.

His remarks came hours after India carried out a military strike on terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Asif was reported as saying by Bloomberg Television that Pakistan will only respond if attacked.

“We have been saying all along in the last fortnight that we’ll never initiate anything hostile towards India. But if we’re attacked, we’ll respond. If India backs down, we will definitely wrap up this tension,” he said.

Asif also noted that he was not aware of any potential diplomatic engagements or talks being planned between the two countries at this stage.

India’s strikes targeted nine terror-related sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s marquee tourist resort–Pahalgam, leaving 26 people dead and at least 20 injured.