Rattled by UN Security Council Snub on Kashmir, Imran Khan 'Warns' World of India's Nuclear Arsenal

A day after the Pakistan Army called the Kashmir issue a “nuclear flashpoint”, Prime Minister Imran Khan made yet another attempt to “warn” the international community of the danger from India’s nuclear arsenal.

Khan, in a series of tweets, said: “The World must also seriously consider the safety & security of India's nuclear arsenal... This is an issue that impacts not just the region but the world.”

The Pakistan Prime Minister’s statement comes a day after the neighbour said its army was "fully prepared" to face any challenge posed by India in the wake of current tensions between the two countries over Kashmir.

Addressing a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi following a meeting of the country's top brass on the situation in Kashmir, Army spokesman Major Gen Asif Ghafoor said it was possible India could launch an attack to divert the world's attention from Kashmir. "We have apprehension that India can launch attack to divert attention but we are fully prepared to deal with any misadventure," he said.

He said enough reinforcement has been provided at the Line of Control to deal with any situation. Warning of the possibility of an unintended war, the army spokesman said that "Kashmir issue is nuclear flashpoint."

Addressing the press conference, Qureshi said the meeting of the country's top brass decided to set up special Kashmir Cell in the ministry of foreign affairs. "The focal persons on Kashmir would be appointed at all embassies to highlight the issue at the global level," he said.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have been running high since the Narendra Modi government decided to repeal Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcate the state into two Union Territories — J&K and Ladakh.

Criticising the move, Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties with India and expelled Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria. It also suspended trade ties and stopped services of the Samjhauta Express.

Pakistan also approached the United Nations Security Council and a closed-door meeting on the Kashmir issue upheld the stand that the contentious issue must be resolved bilaterally. India has maintained that the abrogation of Article 370 is an internal matter.