Abdul Basit, a former Pakistani diplomat and high commissioner to India, made provocative remarks during a televised interview, warning that Pakistan should consider attacking Indian cities like Mumbai and New Delhi if the country faces a threat from the United States. His comments, which were described as irresponsible and alarming, were in response to statements by US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who highlighted Pakistan's long-range missile program as a potential threat to US interests. Basit claimed that Gabbard's remarks reflected an "anti-Pakistan" bias, emphasizing her Indian heritage and suggesting that the US views India as a strategic partner rather than Pakistan. He argued that Pakistan's missile capabilities are "India-specific" and lack the intercontinental range of India's Agni 5 and Agni 6 missiles. "We don't have that kind of range," he said, adding that Pakistan should focus on targeting Israel instead. The diplomat also criticized the US for not acknowledging Pakistan's missile program in the same way it does India's, stating that India's strategic partnerships with the US and China make it a key player in regional dynamics. "India and the US are strategic partners, like we are with China," Basit said, warning that Pakistan should not assume it has equal standing with the US. He reiterated that the US would never consider Pakistan a long-term strategic partner, despite some improvements under former President Donald Trump. Basit's remarks escalated when he suggested that if the US attacked Pakistan, the country should retaliate by targeting Indian cities. "If anyone casts an evil eye on us, we must not think twice and attack Mumbai and New Delhi," he said, describing the threat as a "worst-case scenario.#mumbai #india #new_delhi #tulsi_gabbard #abdul_basit
Abdul Basit: If America strikes us, we should attack Indian cities like Delhi and Mumbai: Ex-Pak envoy Abdul Basit, a former high commissioner of Pakistan to India, made a controversial statement suggesting that Pakistan should retaliate by attacking Indian cities such as Delhi and Mumbai if the United States launches an attack on the country. During an interview with a Pakistani news channel, Basit claimed that Islamabad’s “default move” in such a scenario would be to strike Indian cities, arguing that the U.S. would not target Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal. He posed the question to a TV anchor, asking, “What do you think will be our option then? India,” before asserting that Pakistan would “attack Mumbai and New Delhi in India without even thinking twice.” Basit’s remarks came in response to U.S. National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard’s recent comments to the Senate intelligence committee, where she warned that Pakistan’s missile program could pose a threat to the U.S. homeland. Basit criticized Gabbard’s stance, calling her worldview “anti-Pakistan” and emphasizing that Pakistan’s deterrence strategy is “India-specific.” He argued that while the U.S. and Israel are beyond Pakistan’s nuclear range, the country’s intercontinental missiles, such as the Agni-5 and Agni-6, could target India. Pakistan’s strategic capabilities, according to the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, include six operational nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, primarily short to medium-range systems. However, the country is advancing its cruise missile technology and developing longer-range missiles like the Shaheen-3, which can strike targets up to 2,750 kilometers away. Despite this, the Shaheen-3 does not qualify as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which requires a minimum range of over 5,500 kilometers.#pakistan #india #tulsi_gabbard #abdul_basit #shaheen_3
