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If this escalates, it will no longer be in my control or Narendra Modi’s: Imran Khan

Khan’s address comes a day after India carried out ‘non-military pre-emptive’ airstrikes targeting the JeM training camp in Balakot in Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

If this escalates, it will no longer be in my control or Narendra Modi’s: Imran Khan

Imran Khan (Photo: Twitter | @pid_gov)

Amid escalating tensions between India and Islamabad, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday called for peace talks with India adding that “if the war-like situation escalates, both the governments would fail to bring it under control”.

“Let’s sit together and settle this with talks,” he said.

“All wars are miscalculated, and no one knows where they lead to,” Khan said.

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“With the weapons you have and the weapons we have, can we really afford a miscalculation? If this escalates, it will no longer be in my control or in Narendra Modi’s,” he further asked.

Khan’s address comes a day after India carried out “non-military pre-emptive” airstrikes targeting the JeM training camp in Balakot in Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, about 80-km from the Line of Control (LoC) early Tuesday, killing a “very large number” of terrorists, trainers and senior commanders.

In a 21-minute offensive, 12 Mirage 2000 jets carried out the strike at around 3.30 am and dropped 1000 Kg bombs on terror camps across LoC, completely destroying it and killing over 300 terrorists.

Beginning his speech, the Pakistan PM said he wanted to take his nation into confidence over the developments since Tuesday morning.

Speaking on Pakistan’s claim that it had shot down two IAF aircraft, of which, the wreckage of one fell on the Pakistani side of the LoC, Khan said, “Our action was only intended to convey that if you can come into our country, we can do the same. Two of their MiGs were shot down (in the ensuing action). From here, it is imperative that we use our heads and act with wisdom”.

“When India struck yesterday morning, we spoke to our army command and waited to take action till we assessed the damage caused,” he added.

He further said Pakistan was ready for a probe and dialogue on the Pulwama terror attack that killed over 44 CRPF personnel in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama on February 14.

Earlier in the day, the Indian Air Force (IAF) lost a MiG 21 Bison aircraft in an engagement with Pakistani Air Force which had entered Indian airspace, the government said.

Read | Pakistan claims IAF fighter pilot in custody, releases video; India says ascertaining facts

The MEA statement came after Pakistani media showed a video of a blindfolded man dressed in flying overalls being questioned by Pakistani security officials. Pakistan claimed that the man is an Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot.

In a media briefing, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that it was “ascertaining the facts” behind the claim.

MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that India lost a MiG 21 Bison aircraft which intercepted Pakistani fighter jets who entered Indian territory and the pilot was “missing in action” (MIA).

Earlier today, Pakistani Air Force jets violated Indian airspace in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri sector and dropped bombs but missed their targets. They were immediately pushed back by Indian jets on air patrol.

Pakistan had claimed the “strikes across Line of Control from within Pak airspace” and that its “purpose was to demonstrate the right to self-defence”.

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