Operation Sindoor: Pak blows hot & cold, says ready to ‘wrap’ tensions, then threatens to retaliate

Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday said Islamabad is open to reducing tensions with India, provided New Delhi chooses to de-escalate the current situation. Asif appeared to soften his stance in the wake of India’s military strikes on terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under “Operation Sindoor”, which was conducted in the early hours of Wednesday.

In a TV interview, Asif stressed that Pakistan would not initiate hostilities but would respond if provoked.

“We have consistently maintained over the past two weeks that we will not initiate any hostile action against India. However, if we are attacked, we will respond. If India chooses to step back, we are fully prepared to wind down this tension,” he said.

Asif also noted that he was not aware of any potential diplomatic engagements or talks being planned between the two countries at this stage. India’s strikes targeted nine terror-related sites in Pakistan and PoK in response to the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s marquee tourist resort — Pahalgam, which left 26 people dead and at least 20 injured.

The remarks marked a climbdown from Asif’s tough comments earlier in the day, where he issued a blunt warning that Pakistan was fully prepared to retaliate with force against India. “If India attempts to occupy even an inch of our land, it will prove to be a costly misadventure,” he told Pakistan news outlet Geo News, adding, “We will respond with full force. We will pay off this debt in the manner such debt is paid.”

Asif had also stated

that Pakistan’s response would be both “kinetic and diplomatic”, adding that “it would not take long” for Islamabad to act. Meanwhile, Pakistan's top security body on Wednesday said the armed forces had been duly authorised to undertake retaliation “at a time, place, and manner of its choosing” to avenge the loss of lives in the Indian military strikes.