Future War Won’t Stay at Border, Kolkata May Be Hit: Pakistan Defence Minister

Islamabad: The atmosphere between India and Pakistan has become heated again. This time the matter is not limited to just the borders, rather statements are being made in the name of big cities. The latest statement by Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has further increased the tension.

Has Pakistan given a warning by taking the name of Kolkata?

Khawaja Asif said during talks in Sialkot that if India takes any step, the response will not be limited to the border only. Taking the name of Kolkata, he indicated that action can be taken even inside India. However, he did not present any evidence for this claim.

Why is the issue of a ‘false flag’ being raised?

Asif alleged that India could accuse Pakistan of carrying out the incident as part of a conspiracy. He said that this could be done through his own people or Pakistanis present in custody, but no concrete information was put forward regarding this claim.

Is Pakistan talking about increasing the scope of the conflict?

In his statement he clearly said that the next conflict will not be limited to the borders. He said that if the situation worsens, Pakistan will retaliate inside India. This kind of language indicates increasing tension between the two countries.

Is this tension related to old developments?

There was a military confrontation between the two countries after the Pahalgam attack in April 2025. After this India took action under Operation Sindoor. Even though there was a ceasefire later, tensions remained in the relationship.

Have other statements also increased the controversy?

Recently, a statement of former High Commissioner of Pakistan Abdul Basit was also in discussion, in which he had mentioned the cities of India in the event of a possible conflict. A lot of reaction was seen regarding this also.

Are regional conditions also having an impact?

Pakistan is also currently under pressure on its western border. The increasing tension with Afghanistan has further complicated the situation. In such a situation, the increasing rhetoric with India is raising concerns for the entire region.

What could happen next?

There has been no official response to this statement from India yet, but the situation cannot be called normal. It will become clear in the coming days whether this matter remains only till the statement or will move forward.