A former Pakistani diplomat's provocative hypothetical has ignited outrage amid simmering regional tensions.
Ex-Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit stunned audiences during a discussion on conflict scenarios. "If America attacks Pakistan we have to attack India, Mumbai, New Delhi, without a second thought. We won’t leave it we’ll see what happens later," he declared.
Basit framed it as a "worst-case scenario" and "out of impossibility," insisting neither side wants war. Yet he doubled down: "If someone sees us with a bad eye Pakistan will have no other option than to attack India wherever it wants. We don’t want that to happen India doesn’t want that either."
The direct nod to bombing India's key cities sparked viral backlash online, amplifying debates on reckless rhetoric from ex-officials.
Basit served as Pakistan's envoy in New Delhi from 2014-2017, navigating fraught bilateral ties, which lends his words extra weight.
The remarks unfold against escalating friction: Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of airstrikes on Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktika, hitting civilian sites like a rehab center, per Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. Casualties mount, though details lack verification.
No official Indian response yet, but the clip fuels urgent talks on South Asian security.