Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif has threatened that his nation will goal any structure constructed by India on the Indus River if it goes in opposition to the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), which New Delhi lately suspended after the April 22 Pahalgam terror assault.
Speaking on a programme of Pakistan News channel Geo News on Friday, Asif stated, “Certainly, if they (India) attempt to build any kind of structure, we will strike it.”
He stated that any development on the Indus River could be seen as “Indian aggression” in direction of Pakistan.
“Aggression is not just about firing cannons or bullets; it has many faces. One of those faces is [blocking or diverting water], which could lead to deaths due to hunger and thirst,” he added.
Asif additionally stated, “If they make any architectural attempt, then Pakistan will destroy that structure.
“But for now, we’re heading to boards accessible to us, ranging from the IWT [Indus Waters Treaty]. We will pursue this matter.”
This comes days after Asif said that the chances of conflict with India were increasing with the passage of time despite efforts by different countries to defuse the tensions between the two neighbours.
“Chances (of battle) are growing with the passage of time; they don’t seem to be lowering. Though many international locations have been making an attempt to avert the scenario,” he said.
Earlier, on April 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the people behind the Pahalgam terror attack and those supporting them will be punished.
In a meeting on April 29 with senior defence officials, Modi said that the armed forces have “full operational freedom” to decide on how, when, and the place to reply to the assault, information company PTI reported quoting authorities sources.
