Pakistan warns Kashmir dispute could trigger “all-out war” with India

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has issued a stark warning that escalating tensions over a recent mass shooting in Indian-administered Kashmir could lead to an "all-out war" between Pakistan and India.

In an interview with Sky News, Asif cautioned that the world should be "worried" about the possibility of a full-scale conflict between the two nuclear-armed nations, Caliber.Az reports.

The warning comes in the aftermath of a deadly attack on April 22, in which 26 tourists were shot dead by unidentified gunmen at a popular beauty spot in Indian-controlled Kashmir. The Indian government has blamed Pakistan for the attack—an accusation Islamabad has strongly denied.

Asif rejected New Delhi’s claims, suggesting the massacre was a "false flag" operation orchestrated by India. “Absolutely. Absolutely, they create these situations,” he said when asked whether he blamed India for the shooting.

In his comments, the minister emphasized that while Pakistan is prepared for any escalation, it hopes the situation can be defused through diplomacy. “We will measure our response to whatever is initiated by India. It would be a measured response,” he said. “If there is an all-out attack or something like that, then obviously there will be an all-out war.”

Asked whether the international community should be concerned, Asif replied: “Yes, I think so. The clash between two nuclear powers is always worrisome... If things get wrong, there could be a tragic outcome of this confrontation.”

The decades-long dispute over Kashmir has long been a flashpoint between India and Pakistan, both of which claim the region in full but govern separate portions. While the region has seen a relative lull in violence in recent years, the April 22 shooting has reignited long-standing hostilities.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to pursue those responsible for the attack “to the ends of the Earth,” further inflaming tensions between the neighboring countries.

Despite the inflammatory rhetoric, Asif also expressed hope that the crisis might still be resolved through dialogue. “We should be solving our problems through negotiations,” he said.

When asked whether US President Donald Trump should intervene to help de-escalate the situation, Asif responded: “Definitely he leads the world power, the sole world power and he has been talking to different parties in different flashpoints all over the world. And this is also a flashpoint which has two nuclear powers that are drawn with each other. I think the attention of this situation and if the world power can intervene and there's some sort of sanity can be brought to this situation, it will be good.”

He concluded with a final warning: “Otherwise, if there is an initiative by India, we'll respond in kind. We will not have any option, have absolutely no option.”

By Vafa Guliyeva