Pakistan Not Excluding Military Tension With India Similar to February Crisis - Ambassador

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th August, 2019) Pakistan is not ruling out the possibility of military tensions with India similar to those in February in the wake of India's decision revoke a special status of Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan's Ambassador to Russia Qazi Khalilullah told Sputnik in an interview.

Earlier this week, the Indian government announced its decision to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and split it into two union territories, prompting an outraged reaction from Islamabad. Prior to the most recent spike in tensions, relations between the two nations deteriorated dramatically back in February when India carried out an airstrike in the Pakistani-controlled part of Kashmir after a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.

"Our neighbor is unpredictable. So we have to remain ready to face any kind of situation ... We also do not rule out the possibility that India might stage another Pulwama-style incident to malign Pakistan," Khalilullah said.

The diplomat noted, however, that Islamabad was pursuing a diplomatic approach to the latest developments around Kashmir.

"Pakistan is a peace-loving country.

We have a vision of a peaceful neighborhood. We want to resolve all outstanding disputes, including the Jammu and Kashmir [dispute] with India peacefully through dialogue. Right now our focus is on diplomatic, political and legal options ... We do not want to go towards a military option," Khalilullah said.

The Kashmir region has been fought over between India and Pakistan since the end of British rule in the region in 1947. Following several armed conflicts, the two countries agreed to a ceasefire in 2003. Since, both sides have repeatedly accused each other of violating the truce, with continued instability in the region leading to the emergence of various extremist groups.

The tensions escalated dramatically after a February 14 terrorist attack on an Indian military convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district in which more than 40 people were killed. The Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammad claimed responsibility for the attack.

Later in February, India carried out an airstrike in the Pakistani-controlled part of Kashmir, targeting what it said was a training camp belonging to the terrorist group.