Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that his troops and people are ready to fight India till the end, amid ongoing tensions over the scrapping of Kashmir's special status.
Citing some media reports, Khan claimed India plans to stage an airstrike similar to the one that took place against an alleged terrorist training camp in the town of Balakot in Pakistan administered Jammu and Kashmir of 26 February. Khan suggested that India was planning such an attack to divert the world's attention from "their brutalities in Kashmir."
"We are observing where the events go from here. Pakistan is fully ready; our army, our people are on one page. We have decided we will not tolerate any violation and are fully ready to counter it. We will go to the end to defend ourselves and our sovereignty," Khan said while addressing a session of Pakistan administered Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly in Muzaffarabad on Wednesday afternoon.
The prime minister said in case of war breaking out between Pakistan and India, the world community would be responsible for it as it had failed to do anything despite being aware of the seriousness of the situation in Kashmir.
"If this region goes to war, the world will be responsible. Those institutions responsible for keeping world peace, this is a trial of the UN. Will you stand by the 11 resolutions of the Security Council," said Khan.
While comparing Modi with former German dictator Adolf Hitler, Khan said that the scrapping of Article 370, which granted special status to Kashmir, was a betrayal of Kashmir and a betrayal of promises made to the people of Kashmir by former Indian Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru.
"It is simply about their Nazi-like ideology and then their arrogance," Khan said.
Khan said he wanted to reassure the people of Kashmir, saying that "new momentum continues where Kashmir is in the global narrative."
Islamabad has already scaled down diplomatic contacts with New Delhi and suspended trade and communication links. It has also complained to the UN Security Council, claiming India is in violation of UN resolutions.
Kashmir has been a bone of contention between India and Pakistan since the countries gained freedom from British rule in 1947. Both countries govern only part of the region, but claim it in full.
