ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s defense minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif’s interview with an international broadcaster was taken out of context by the Indian media. The Indian media twisted his statement as if he had threatened war, while the reality is the opposite.
In his interview, the defense minister not only spoke of preserving the right to defense in the event of any possible aggression but also stressed the need for dialogue to establish peace in the region. He said that Pakistan does not want war, but if faced with Indian aggression, a response will be inevitable. He invited India to come to the negotiating table and said that this is the path that can reduce tensions.
Khawaja Asif appealed to the international community, especially US President Donald Trump, to play their role for peace in South Asia. He said the world powers should show seriousness in their efforts to reduce tensions in this sensitive region.
Moreover, the defense minister, while reviewing Pakistan’s past foreign policy, said that Pakistan’s global standing would have been different today if it had not joined the war against the Soviet Union and later the US war. This analysis provides an important perspective from which current and future strategies can be improved.
