Defence Minister of Pakistan Khawaja Asif on Saturday warned that Pakistan would retaliate strongly against any perceived provocation from India, even mentioning Kolkata as a potential target in the event of what he described as a “misadventure.”
Speaking to reporters in Sialkot, near Lahore, Asif alleged that there were indications of a possible “false flag” operation being planned. He claimed such an operation could involve staging an incident and attributing it to militants, though he did not present any evidence to support the assertion.
The remarks come amid heightened tensions following recent exchanges between the two countries. Earlier, Asif had said Pakistan’s response to any attack would be “swift, calibrated, and decisive.”
His comments were in response to statements by India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who warned that any hostile action by India’s neighbour would be met with an “unprecedented and decisive” response.
Tensions between the two nations have remained high since the April 22 Pahalgam attack last year, which triggered a brief four-day conflict.
