Imran Khan’s remarks come amidst speculations about Pakistan’s nuclear doctrine in the aftermath of central government’s diluting of the autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir. Imran Khan’s remarks come amidst speculations about Pakistan’s nuclear doctrine in the aftermath of central government’s diluting of the autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir.

Amid escalating tensions with India after the Modi government revoked the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday assured that Pakistan will never ever start a war with India.

“We will never ever start the war. Both Pakistan and India are nuclear powers and if tension escalates the world will face danger,” Khan said while addressing a gathering of the Sikh community at the Governor’s House in Lahore.

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He added that war is not a solution to any problem. “I want to tell India that war is not a solution to any problem. The winner in war is also a loser. War gives birth to host of other issues,” the prime minister said.

The tension between both the countries escalated after New Delhi revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. After India’s historic move, Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian High Commissioner.

Recalling his previous telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Khan said, “I told him that there are similar circumstances both in Pakistan and India. I told him about the climate change. We are sitting on a ticking bomb. If we do not address this issue (climate change) there will be scarcity of water (in both countries). I told him that we together can solve the Kashmir dispute through dialogue.”

Expressing his frustration over “no response” from India for his efforts to talk to Pakistan, Khan said: “Whatever effort I made India was acting like a super power asking us to do this and not to do that (for talks). It was giving us dictation.”

He told the participating Sikhs who had come from different European countries that Pakistan would issue multiple visas to Sikhs so that they could visit their holy places.

In his televised address to his country, Khan had previously stated that an armed conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours will have ramifications for the entire world.

Calling India’s move on Kashmir as “illegal”, Khan had said it was a violation of the United Nations Security Council resolutions on Kashmir and the Shimla Agreement between India and Pakistan.

(With PTI inputs)

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