Pakistan PM Imran Khan says the country will retaliate if India attacks

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday warned India at a press conference it will retaliate if attacked by latter, while calling for a ‘dialogue’ to resolve the Kashmir issue.

The statement, the first from Pakistani PM since the Pulwama attack , comes just days after India accused the country of harbouring terrorists following one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in the valley that killed at 45 security personnel in the country. The attack was claimed by Jaish-e-Mohammed, a Pakistan-based terror outfit.

He strongly questioned India’s accusation that is Pakistan is behind the attack, saying it would not benefit from such a move that could potentially destabilise Pakistan.

“It is in our interest that nobody from our soil spreads violence. I want to tell Indian government that we will take action if evidence is found against anyone from Pakistan,” he said.

Khan also said it was ‘ready for dialogue’ with India, and urged the Indian government to share actionable intelligence on the attack, vowing it will investigate.

On Friday, India withdrew Pakistan's 'most favoured nation' status following the suicide-bomber attack. Later while speaking at the a joint press conference with Argentinian president Mauricio Macri, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "A befitting reply will be given to the perpetrators of the heinous attack and their patrons.”