Imran Khan: India bombed Pakistan after Pulwama; operates like Israel
Continuing to claim innocence over his country's involvement in acts of terrorism in Kashmir, Imran recollected the circumstances that led to the Balakot airstrikes, which he termed as a "little skirmish".
FollowPakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday termed Kashmir as a nuclear flashpoint between the two nuclear powers.
In an interview with Middle East Eye, Imran Khan admitting for the first time that India carried out airstrikes on his country.
"The nuclear flashpoint in the world currently is India and Pakistan because nowhere else is there such a situation. There have been three wars between the countries before they were nuclear-armed," Imran said.
However, Imran got something factually wrong. He claimed that India and Pakistan haven't had a war since the nuclear deterrent.Â
The Pakistan prime minister conveniently forgot the Kargil war in which the country suffered a bloody nose and over 4,000 casualties.
Continuing to claim innocence over his country's involvement in acts of terrorism in Kashmir, Imran recollected the circumstances that led to the Balakot airstrikes, which he termed as a "little skirmish".
"There was a suicide bomb that went off in Kashmir, Indian soldiers were killed and they blamed us. We kept saying that give us evidence, we will punish those responsibly and even give them to India. Rather than giving us evidence, they bombed us."
During the course of the interview, Imran Khan also raised the issue of scrapping Article 370, which India has time and again dismissed as its internal matter.
"We are not talking of Kashmir as a territorial issue. We in Pakistan have given Kashmir have given them the other option, they do not have to come to either Pakistan or India. If they want, they can be an independent country," Imran said.
Imran clearly seems to be spooked by India's assertiveness.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Israel and comes back and clamps down on Kashmir, the events of August 5th, 2019. Do we think he got his instructions from Israel? That's what Israel has done. They have such a strong strong security apparatus, and they just crush anything. They will send people, kill and assassinate. And they have total immunity. They have full confidence in the veto power of the US in the UN Security Council. So they get away with anything. And because India feels that they are now seen as a bulwark against China and are now part of the Quad, I feel India can get away with anything," Imran Khan said.
The Pakistan prime minister also accused India of trying to change the demography of Kashmir, accusing New Delhi of trying to bringing settlers from outside and trying to convert the Muslim majority to a minority there.
Also Read: ‘Honest concerns’ about Pakistan ‘providing safe havens’ to terrorists: US
