'Give peace a chance': Pakistan says 'no intention to escalate' tension with India, but stresses right to self-defence

Islamabad: Pakistan on Wednesday said it does not have any intention to escalate the confrontation with India and wanted peace to be given a chance, hours after its jets violated Indian air space and dropped some bombs in Rajouri sector in Jammu and Kashmir. In a statement, Pakistan Foreign Ministry said: “If India is striking at so-called terrorist backers without a shred of evidence, we also retain reciprocal rights to retaliate against elements that enjoy Indian patronage while carrying out acts of terror in Pakistan.” [caption id=“attachment_6157281” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. AP[/caption] At the same time, it added: “We have no intention of escalation but are fully prepared to do so if forced into that paradigm. That is why we undertook the action with the clear warning and in broad daylight.” Islamabad said that it does not wish to pursue retaliation and escalate the situation, instead wishes that “India gives peace a chance and to resolve issues like a mature democratic nation”. A day after India carried out air strikes deep inside Pakistan, Islamabad said that its air force undertook strikes across the Line of Control (LoC) to demonstrate its “right, will and capability for self-defence”. “Pakistan Air Force undertook strikes across Line of Control from within Pakistani airspace,” the Foreign Ministry statement said, adding it took strikes at a non-military target, avoiding human loss and collateral damage. Earlier in the morning, Pakistan jets reportedly violated Indian airspace in Rajouri sector and dropped bombs on their way out. Craters were reportedly spotted at the places where the bombs were dropped. No casualties have been reported yet. On February 26, the Indian Air Force carried out an aerial strike at an advance training camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Balakot of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan, destroying a control room of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and other infrastructure of the terror outfit.