Islamabad [Pakistan]: In another verbal flare-up between neighbours, a top leader of Pakistan Peoples Party said Pakistan's nuclear status is not meant for the nation to remain silent, in what appeared to be an open nuclear threat to India.
Shazia Marri made the threat while supporting Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari after he was slammed by India for his "uncivilized" remarks on PM Minister Modi.
"India should not forget that Pakistan has an atom bomb. Our nuclear status is not meant to remain silent. We will not back down if the need arises." Shazia Marri was quoted as saying by ANI.
On Thursday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called out Pakistan for sponsoring and spreading terrorism and advised Islamabad to clean up its act and try to be a good neighbour.
Earlier a Pakistani journalist accused India of spreading terror in the region. Jaishankar who took the question retorted that the journalist was asking the wrong minister, adding only minister of Pakistan could tell how long it intended to practice terrorism.
Jaishankar linked Pakistan to spreading terrorism by citing Osema Bin Laden' stay in the country.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari responded to S Jaishankar's charge of Pakistan 'hosting Bin Landen', saying that "Laden is dead but the butcher of Gujarat lives and he is the Prime Minister of India".
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's comment led to a verbal fusillade attack from India with Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakashi Lekhi saying that the world has recognized PM Modi's leadership.
Subsequently, Arindam Bagchi, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, said the comments of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari are new low even for Pakistan, adding that he had better direct his frustrations towards the masterminds of terrorism in his country.
Shazia Marri was talking to Bol News when she raised the nuclear threat against India.
"If you will keep making allegations against Pakistan again and again, Pakistan cannot keep listening silently, this will not happen," she reportedly said.