No danger of war with India, says Pak PM
Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said there is no danger of a war with India though both countries should ensure there is no escalation of the situation along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir.
Abbasi, who was chosen as the premier by the ruling PML-N after the Supreme Court ousted Nawaz Sharif last year, also ruled out the possibility of action against Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed, saying there were no cases against him in Pakistan.
“I don’t think there is a danger of war, at least from our side, it isn’t there. Pakistan has never taken unilateral action, we have always demonstrated responsibility,” Abbasi said in an interview with Geo News channel that was aired on Tuesday night.
Responding to a question on the Indian Army chief’s remarks about calling Pakistan’s “nuclear bluff” and possible cross-border operations, Abbasi said: “The Indian Army chief will not speak in favour of us. It is a fact that Pakistan has nuclear capability and we have demonstrated it, and there is need for India to understand that (when) there are violations of the LoC, these things will not go without retaliation.
Referring to the Indian army
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chief’s remarks, he said, “If they believe on the other side there will be some political benefits and they keep making statements, as their military leadership has done, this has never been good for peace.”
Asked why no action was taken against Saeed despite pressure from India and the US, Abbasi said: “There is no case against Hafiz Saeed sab in Pakistan. If there was a case, action would be taken. This is an issue that comes to the fore repeatedly but there is no truth in it.”
Abbasi also said there has been no change in Pakistan’s stance that Kashmir remains the “core issue” with India. “We have always said the doors are open for talks but in a dignified and respectable manner, in which there can be meaningful dialogue without compromising on the core issue of Kashmir,” he said.