Islamabad, Pakistan
CNN
–
As tensions escalated in the final week of the battle, Pakistan did not consider deploying a nuclear warhead to attack India, Foreign Minister Ishak Dal told CNN on Monday.
In his first interview since India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire on Saturday, Dar said Islamabad had “no option” but would begin a strike in “self-defense” following India’s cross-border attack on May 7.
An aggressive strike like last week’s escalation marked the worst battle between two nuclear-armed states since 1971, killing dozens and deepening the fear of wider conflict.
The DAR called the Indian strike a “war” and a “hopeful attempt to establish hegemony” in the Kashmir region for many years, but said that nuclear choice was never on the table.
“When you have to make very serious decisions, we were sure our traditional abilities and capabilities were strong enough to beat them both in the air and on the ground.”
After the first attack last Wednesday, Pakistan claimed that it used Chinese-made fighter jets to fire down five Indian Air Force jets, including a sophisticated French-made jet that New Delhi acquired several years ago. A French intelligence source told CNN that Pakistan has defeated at least one Indian Rafale.
India has not responded to these claims that CNN could not verify.
After several days of combat, Islamabad and New Delhi agreed to a ceasefire mediated by the US on Saturday.
The deal appeared to be held so far, but DAR told CNN that long-term negotiations between the two parties are “not over yet.”
“We still want the senses to win,” he said.
Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that India has “just paused our reactive attacks on Pakistan’s fears and the military hub.”
“Operation Sindoor has drawn a new line under the fight against terrorism. This is a new phase, a new normal,” he said, adding, “If there is a terrorist attack on India, it will give an incredible response.”
“India will not tolerate nuclear horror mail,” warned Modi.
Indian leaders argued that the fierce attacks of his country had prompted Pakistan to look for a “way to save himself” by reaching a ceasefire contract.
“They were calling the world to reduce tension after being completely destroyed,” he said.
In Islamabad, when asked about the unforeseen impulse of trading, Dal told CNN, “It is in the interest of anyone to delay or leave such matters beyond a certain reasonable time.”
“The (Indians) were watching what happened in the sky,” he added. “They could see how serious the damage was.”
Dar said there was no direct contact with Indian or Pakistani officials.
Instead, Dah said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had conveyed the message that India was ready to stop the fight.
Rubio said in a statement on Saturday that he and US Vice President JD Vance had spoken to political and military leadership in India and Pakistan to secure an agreement before the situation worsened.
Dah told CNN on Monday that Pakistan looks forward to establishing a long-term path of peace and security that “provide dignity on both sides.”
The majority of Muslim regions in Kashmir have been the flashpoint of India-Pakistan relations since the two countries gained independence from the UK in 1947.
Bloody division of India in Britain – Both countries, emerging from Hindu majority India and Muslim majority Pakistan, claimed Kashmir in full and after gaining independence several months later, fought the first war of three wars over the territory.
The divided region is currently one of the most militarized locations in the world.
Dha pointed out Kashmir as the “root cause of instability in the region” and called for the region’s “future self-determination.”
India has long criticised Pakistan, which has militant groups in Kashmir, which are conducting cross-border attacks on Indian security forces, Islamabad refused.
India launched a cross-border strike last week in the wake of a tourist massacre in India that controlled Kashmir in April.
Dar reiterated that Pakistan was not behind last month’s rampage, saying, “We condemn terrorism in all forms and all manifestations.”
He added that he believes President Donald Trump supports Pakistan’s anti-terrorism efforts.
“If they hadn’t believed in our efforts, they wouldn’t have cooperated (what they did),” Dah said.
However, Dah warned in his next speech about the ongoing conflict in access to water from the rivers of Kashmir that “if the (Kashmir) water issue is not resolved” and that an already unstable ceasefire could be threatened “if the (Kashmir) water issue is not resolved.” Pakistan’s proposed solution includes overturning India’s decision to block three vast Kashmir rivers, essential to Pakistan’s economy.
Last week, Indian media reported that New Delhi had cut the water flowing through India-controlled Bagrihar Dam in Kashmir and stopped the water flowing through the Chenab River to Pakistan.
If the water problem is not resolved, it “is equivalent to an act of war,” Dah said.
CNN’s Esha Mitra and Sana Noor Haq contributed to this story.
