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Updated: Sep 05, 2019 01:28 IST

The Pakistan Army has said that India is sowing the seeds of war with its move to withdraw Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.

“The situation in Kashmir has become a big danger in the region…the Indian action in Kashmir is sowing the seed of war,” said Major General Asif Ghafoor, director-general of the Inter-Services Public Relations, addressing a news conference on Wednesday.

Ghafoor said the armed forces of Pakistan have strived to establish peace in the country and are playing their role for regional peace, but a “befitting response” will be given to any false-flag operation staged by India.

The Pakistan army spokesperson told the press conference that the region is in the midst of a power struggle involving global powers. “Maybe India thinks that it can take action against us and that would weaken us. We want to tell India that wars are not only fought with weapons and economy, but with patriotism.”

Ghafoor also clarified that Pakistan does not follow the “no first use” policy on nuclear weapons. He was asked about the statement by defence minister Rajnath Singh, who said last month that India may see a major shift in its nuclear weapons doctrine by doing away with a ‘no first use policy’ in the future.

“We don’t have any ‘no first use’ policy…Our weapons are for deterrence. As far as India is concerned, it us up to them to formulate any policy,” he said.

Ghafoor’s comments came days after Prime Minister Imran Khan vowed that his country will never ever start a war with India, amid escalating tensions between the nuclear powers over the Kashmir

issue. Ghafoor said the first strike could follow with the second strike. “Nuclear countries have no room for war,” the military’s spokesperson said.

(With agency inputs)