Pakistan is 'trying to avoid' full-fledged war, says Defence Minister Khawaja Asif

Islamabad: Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday said Islamabad is "trying to avoid" a full-fledged war, hours after India carried out a military strike on terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Punjab province.

India launched Operation Sindoor early Wednesday, hitting nine terror targets in PoK and Punjab in retaliation for the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22 that killed 26 people.

"There is a possibility of expansion of this conflict into a full-fledged war, which we are trying to avoid," Asif told CNN's Becky Anderson on Connect the World.

He said that they (India) last night crossed an international boundary.

The attack early Wednesday was a "clear-cut violation, and an invitation to expand the conflict and maybe convert it into something much wider and much more dangerous for the region," he said.

When asked what happens next, the minister said Pakistan "is prepared for an all-out war".

"There is absolutely no doubt, because India is increasing the intensity, the stakes of this conflict,” Asif said. "So… we can’t be caught with our guards down.” Earlier in the day, Asif was quoted as saying by Bloomberg Television that Pakistan is ready to "wrap up" tensions with India, if New Delhi de-escalates the situation.

"We have been saying all along in the last fortnight that we’ll never initiate anything hostile towards India. But if we're attacked, we'll respond. If India backs down, we will definitely wrap up this tension," he said.

According to Pakistan Army spokesman Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry, at least 26 people were killed and 46 injured in the missile strikes by India.