Former Pakistani General Warns Of Major Conflict, Says 'dispute With India Needs To Be Resolved'

New Delhi: A senior Pakistani defense expert has advised Islamabad to resolve its disputes with India, warning that failure to resolve them could lead to a dangerous conflict in the future. Former Chairman of Pakistan's Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General (retd) Zubair Mahmood Hayat, said that resolving a crisis without addressing its root causes only lays the foundation for another, more dangerous conflict.

The retired general made this statement at an event organized by the Islamabad-based think tank Strategic Vision Institute. According to a statement issued by the think tank, General Hayat referred to Kashmir and the Indus Water Treaty. He said that resolving the Kashmir issue and restoring the Indus Water Treaty are essential for peace.

Nuclear deterrence is not enough to prevent war

Referring to the May 2025 conflict between Pakistan and India, he said that the threat of nuclear bombs cannot prevent wars. He said that this incident demonstrated that relying solely on deterrence to prevent future conflicts has its limitations. He warned that "there is no place that can be considered safe for war."

Former Pakistani general told about the danger in the future

The former Pakistani general further stated that any future crisis could arise under completely different circumstances. There could be new technologies, different politicians, and less time for decision-making. This significantly increases the risk of miscalculation and inadvertent escalation.

General Hayat attributed the unrest in South Asia to the lack of effective crisis management mechanisms and sustained political dialogue. He said the region is, on the one hand, to deterrence that prevents the worst-case scenarios, and on the other, to disputes that repeatedly pose threats.