War between two nuclear-armed countries can’t even be contemplated: PM

F.P. Report

DAVOS: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the idea of a war between two nuclear-armed countries cannot even be contemplated.

“Whatever is happening in India is disastrous for people in India, specially those living in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir,” he said while speaking at an event hosted by the International Media Council on the sidelines of World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday.

The premier was referring to recent controversial moves by the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi including introducing an anti-Muslim citizenship bill and revoking semi-autonomous status of of the country’s only Muslim-majority region, Kashmir.

PM Imran said Pakistan desires peaceful resolution of all conflicts through dialogue. “I’ve always believed that the only way forward is via peace settlements. We want to mend our fences with Iran; we had some border issues with them … and then with India,” he added.

“I have more friendships in India than anyone else,” he remarked while referring to cricketing background. “I thought I was well placed to talk peace between our two countries,” he added.

Premier Imran said all his peace overtures were responded with aggression by the Modi-led BJP government.

He said he reached out to Narendra Modi, but the reaction was “really weird”.

“The subcontinent hosts the highest number of poor people in the world. And we could talk to reduce poverty and increase trade. I tried to talk but hit a brick wall,” he said.

Instead of initiating peace talks, the premier said the Modi-led government violated the Pakistani airspace in the aftermath of Pulwama incident in February last year.

“We then shot down an Indian plane, but returned the captured pilot at the earliest possible to ease down the tensions,” he remarked.

However, India unilaterally annexed Kashmir, revoked articles in their own constitution and since then it has gone from bad to worse, said the Pakistani premier.