Islamabad, Dec 28, IRNA ,Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Sunday reiterated that his country does not want war with India but would act if provoked, amid tensions sparked last month by the Mumbai attacks.
Gilani made the comments at a special prayer ceremony held at his official residence in Islamabad in honour of two-time former premier Benazir Bhutto, who was martyred one year ago in a gun and suicide attack.
“We don’t want to have aggression on our neighbours. We want to have friendly relations with our neighbours,” Gilani said at the ceremony, broadcast live on state television.
“I assure you once again that we will not act. We will only react,” he added.
“We will not be the people who will be the first to take any sort of misadventurism but at the same time we are capable of defending our own dear country.”
Tensions escalated between the two neighbours on Friday, when senior Pakistani officials said a “limited number” of troops had been shifted away from the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan to the border with India.
Talking to media, Defence Minister Ahmad Mukhtar vowed to defend country and said, “We are not oblivious of defence and India cannot cause any loss.” In a chat here, he said that the way India questions would be replied in the same manner.
In turn, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh summoned his military chiefs for a strategy session and New Delhi advised its nationals not to visit Pakistan.
Relations have deteriorated since last month’s attacks on Mumbai, which New Delhi has blamed on Pakistan-based militants. Islamabad says India has not provided it with solid proof on which to act.