Khawaja Muhammad Asif / Screenshot
Pakistan’s defence minister said on Monday that a military incursion by neighbouring India is “imminent” following a deadly militant attack on tourists in Kashmir last week, as tensions rise between the two nuclear-armed nations.
The attack killed 26 people and triggered outrage in Hindu-majority India, along with calls for action against Muslim-majority Pakistan.
India accuses Pakistan of backing militancy in Kashmir, a disputed region both claim the countries have fought two wars over.
“We have reinforced our forces because it is something which is imminent now. So in that situation some strategic decisions have to be taken, so those decisions have been taken,” Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said in an interview with Reuters.
“War with India is imminent in the next few days. We are ready” says Khawaja Asif, Pakistan Defence Minister #BreakingNews #Pahalgam pic.twitter.com/qSPEXTrIoB
— Megha Prasad (@MeghaSPrasad) April 28, 2025
Asif said India’s rhetoric was ramping up and that Pakistan’s military had briefed the government on the possibility of an Indian attack.
He did not go into further details on his reasons for thinking an incursion was imminent.
India has said it has arrested two suspected militants were Pakistani, while Islamabad has denied any role and called for an external investigation.
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Asif, who is a member Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party that has historically pursued peace talks with India, added that they would only use their nuclear weapons arsenal “there is a direct threat to our existence.”
The minister added that Islamabad had approached its allies in order ot brief them on the situation.
“Some of our friends in the Arabian Gulf have talked to both sides,” Asif said, without naming the countries.
China said on Monday it hoped for restraint and welcomed all measures to cool down the situation. Asif said the United States was thus far “staying away” from intervening in the matter.
Meanwhile, President Trump said last week India and Pakistan would figure out relations between themselves, but the State Department later said Washington was in touch with both sides, urging them to work towards a “responsible solution.”
India and Pakistan have been bitter rivals since their partition in 1947, fighting three wars and numerous skirmishes, mainly over Kashmir.
Both nations became nuclear powers in 1998 and today maintain sizable arsenals.
India is estimated to have around 160 nuclear warheads, while Pakistan holds roughly 170, with both sides developing increasingly advanced delivery systems, makeing any military escalation between them especially dangerous.
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