Former Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit’s recent comments about Pakistan’s relations with India have now sparked widespread outrage. In a recent video, Basit is seen saying that the Islamabad could target Indian cities if the US were to attack Pakistan, in a hypothetical situation.
The remarks, made during the discussion on a TV discussion, come amid heightened tension in the region just months after India carried out Operation Sindoor against terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The operation followed the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu Kashmir that the led to the deaths of 26 civilians.
Basit, during the discussion, said, “If America attacks Pakistan, we have to attack India. Our missiles may not reach America, but we will attack Mumbai and New Delhi in India without a second thought. We won’t leave it, we’ll see what happens later,”
The remarks were made in response to US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s statements on Pakistan’s long-range missiles. “She is Indian-origin after all. Pakistan’s deterrence is India-specific. Tulsi Gabbard saw our missiles, but not India’s Agni 5 and Agni 6. They are intercontinental missiles. We don’t have that kind of range. I pray this increases. We should at least be able to target Israel,” he said.
“India is their strategic partner. We get carried away and think Pakistan has strong ties (with the US). It is true that after (US President Donald) Trump came, some things have improved, but we must remember that the US will never be our strategic partner in the long term,” he said. “India and the US are strategic partners, like we are with China. You take whatever benefit you can from President Trump, but don’t think you have become a strategic partner. Don’t assume that not mentioning Agni 5 and Agni 6 was a mistake. They don’t see India the way they see Pakistan,” he said.
The remarks that came after this are what sparked widespread criticism. They made a direct reference to possible strikes on major cities.
“If push comes to shove, suppose the situation in Iran deteriorates, and Israel has its eyes on us, circumstances develop in which the US has its eyes on our nuclear programme and tries to destroy it… This is impossible, but just as a worst-case scenario… let’s say the US attacks Pakistan, even if the US is not in our nuclear range, what do you think is our option?
“India, we don’t have to do anything… If anyone casts an evil eye on us, we must not think twice and attack Mumbai and New Delhi. We will see what happens later. If we do not have a choice, and the US attacks us. This is an impossibility… but the world must know that if anyone casts an evil eye on Pakistan. It will not have any option but to attack India,” he said.
He then added, “We don’t even want that to happen,” and said it was only a hypothetical situation. “India doesn’t want that either,” the news anchor replied to his statement.
There has been no official response from India on the comments.
Basit served as Pakistan’s envoy to India between 2014 and 2017, a period which saw strained bilateral relations. His previous roles have amplified the relations to his comments, given his involvement in diplomatic engagements between the two nations.
The comments have been made when there are a number of wide regional conflicts in the region including between Pakistan and its neighbour Afghanistan, and the war in Iran.
