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
