Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Mar 22: A fresh controversy has erupted after former Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit suggested that Islamabad could target major Indian cities in a hypothetical conflict scenario.

The remarks, made during a television interview, come amid heightened regional tensions following India’s Operation Sindoor targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.

Speaking on a hypothetical situation, Basit said that if the United States were to attack Pakistan, Islamabad would retaliate by targeting India. He reportedly stated that cities like Mumbai and New Delhi could be attacked “without a second thought.”

Although he described the scenario as a “worst-case” situation and added that Pakistan does not want such an outcome, the remarks triggered sharp reactions for directly referencing potential strikes on Indian cities.

India has not yet officially responded to the statement.

Basit served as Pakistan’s top diplomat in India from 2014 to 2017, a period marked by strained ties between the two countries, which has added weight to the controversy surrounding his comments.

The remarks come at a time of continuing tensions between India and Pakistan, alongside broader geopolitical instability linked to the ongoing conflict in West Asia.