Amid the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel, a controversial remark by former Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit has raised fresh concerns over regional security, after he suggested that Pakistan could target India in the event of a foreign attack.
Speaking during a discussion centred on a hypothetical conflict, Basit, who served as Pakistan’s diplomat in New Delhi from 2014 to 2017, said that if the US were to attack Pakistan, Islamabad might consider striking Indian cities such as Mumbai and Delhi.ย
Pakistan should drop bombs on Mumbai and Delhi
“Let’s assume that if the US attacks Pakistan, Pakistan should drop bombs on Mumbai and Delhi,” he said.
“Whether educated or uneducated, rich or poorโeveryone in Pakistan is a ‘Jihadi’,” he asserted.
Basit argued that in a worst-case scenario where the US attacks them, Pakistan would have no alternative but to strike Indiaโeven if India were not involved in the conflict.
Abdul Basit issues a hollow threat to India
Elaborating on his argument, Basit said that if tensions escalate, such as a worsening situation involving Iran and Israel, or if the US attempts to target Pakistan’s nuclear programme, and if Pakistan is unable to strike American bases or Israel, it may look towards India as a fallback option.ย ย
ย “Let’s assume the situation in Iran deteriorates, and Israel advances close to our borders; then, if the United States were to cast a hostile eye upon our nuclear programโor attempt to dismantle our nuclear capabilitiesโwhich is, of course, impossible… However, I am hypothesizing a worst-case scenarioโone that is highly improbable, given Pakistan’s robust defensive capabilities. Yet, were such a situation to ariseโwhere the U.S. launches an attack on Pakistanโand if the US itself lies beyond the range of our nuclear arsenal, or if we are unable to strike their regional bases, or if we are unable to target Israel, then what recourse would remain for us? India.”
US intelligence report flags Pakistan as a threat
The comments come after the US intelligence report flagged Pakistan as a nuclear threat to Washington. On March 18, a report released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence identified Pakistan as a significant nuclear threat to the United States, placing it alongside major powers such as Russia and China.
US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard presented the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment, outlining concerns over Pakistanโs evolving military capabilities, its role in regional instability, and the continued threat of terrorism. The report notes that Pakistan is actively developing advanced missile delivery systems, including long-range ballistic missiles that could potentially evolve into intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the US.
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