Pakistan's Defense Minister Advocates for US Mediation in India Tensions

Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif welcomed US efforts to mediate in the ongoing conflict with India following Indian airstrikes that resulted in casualties. He emphasized Pakistan's restraint but also outlined military responses, indicating volatility in the region.

Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif stated on Wednesday that he is supportive of further U.S. involvement to help alleviate the growing tensions between Pakistan and India. This comment came in the wake of India's military actions, where it reportedly targeted nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistani-controlled Kashmir as a reaction to a terrorist incident in Kashmir a month prior.

Indian officials announced that the airstrikes resulted in the deaths of at least 20 individuals. In a shift from the often hawkish rhetoric, Asif expressed that while Pakistan maintains the right to retaliate, the country had already taken defensive measures by shooting down Indian aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.

“If further aggression is maintained by India, we will be forced to respond," Asif indicated. He mentioned that Pakistan’s Air Force successfully downed five Indian planes and two drones. Additionally, the use of electronic warfare technologies reportedly prevented some missile launches and led to emergency landings of Indian aircraft.

"Restraint is still being applied," he said, yet added a caution that the situation could escalate rapidly if further attacks were launched against Pakistan. Khawaja Muhammad Asif suggested a path toward de-escalation could include an independent investigation into the unrest, signaling willingness for dialogue under certain conditions.