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India And Pakistan Closer to War
ISLAMABAD, Dec. 27 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Pakistan said Thursday it could retaliate in "all conceivable ways" to any Indian escalation in the current dispute, but described a nuclear war as "unthinkable."
"We hope better sense prevails and India does not escalate ... we have the capacity to react or retaliate in all conceivable ways," said military spokesman Major General Rashid Qureshi, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
But answering a later question at a press conference, he added: "One gets surprised how some people straightaway jump to a nuclear situation.
"I'm sure India and Pakistan are responsible nations, it's something I don't think anyone can realistically even think of," Qureshi added. "These are deterrents which are not meant to be more than that. It's something that I think one shouldn't even consider."
However, a senior Pakistani officer warned earlier Thursday that any war with India could be in danger of escalating into a full-blown nuclear conflict.
"When you have got the armies deployed on the border and they are sitting eyeball-to-eyeball with full preparations, it is like a huge dump of explosives," said Brigadier Muhammed Yaqub Khan.
"Even a small ignition can explode everything," Yaqub told reporters visiting the Line of Control, the heavily fortified de facto border which separates Indian- and Pakistani-controlled Kashmir.
"In case, God forbid, there is a war, then nobody would be able to control the events. And if it comes to the survival of any one country, you cannot say they will not use nuclear weapons."
In a dangerous development of an already boiling situation, India said early Thursday its troops on the border with Pakistan would be fully deployed and battle-ready within three days, as the security cabinet was set to decide on further diplomatic sanctions against Islamabad.
Amid renewed appeals for restraint from the international community, Indian Defense Minister George Fernandes described the situation on the border as "grave", but said diplomatic efforts should be given time before pursuing other options, AFP reported.
"In the next two to three days, the deployment process will be completed and the forces will be ready for any eventuality," Fernandes was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India. "But there are diplomatic efforts which should be allowed to reach some conclusion," he added.
Military tensions between the two countries have been rising since India accused Pakistani intelligence of backing the December 13 attack on the Indian Parliament and threatened to retaliate.
India's Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) is due to make its final decision late Thursday, having already discussed options on Wednesday.
The sanctions are aimed at forcing Pakistan to take action against two Kashmir groups blamed for the attack on India's parliament.
Diplomatic sanctions could include a downgrade of Delhi's embassy in Islamabad, a withdrawal of trade privileges, and a ban Pakistan's national airline from Indian air space, reported BBC's online news service.
All those options had been discussed in a CCS meeting on Wednesday, but a final decision was postponed in the absence of Fernandes who was visiting frontline troops in Kashmir.
"Whatever steps are needed to be taken will be taken to safeguard the sovereignty of the nation," Fernandes told the troops on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, efforts by the international community to cool things down took a new twist Wednesday when the United States added the two Pakistani-based self-determination-seeking groups, blamed by India for carrying out the parliament attack, on the so-called list of terrorist organizations issued by the U.S.
The inclusion makes it illegal for supporters in the United States to provide them with financial and material support and requires U.S. financial institutions to block their assets.
Just hours after the U.S. announcement, Pakistan Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar described both groups as "illegal and unconstitutional armies."
However, there was no immediate official reaction from New Delhi.
China, Bangladesh and United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan have made calls for both countries to exercise restraint.
On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell reportedly made two telephone calls to Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and another two calls to Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh urging restraint.
"It is critically important there be a lessening of tensions between India and Pakistan," State Department spokesman, Phillip Reeker was quoted as saying.
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