Tensions with India eased, but threat remains: PM Imran

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan told a meeting of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) parliamentary party that tensions with India had eased, but the threat remained.

“It was because of timely and correct decisions that war was averted,” Prime Minister Khan told the meeting.

During the meeting, the PTI parliamentary party approved the Finance Amendment Bill 2018-19.

According to sources, Prime Minister Khan said the decision to act against banned organisations was not made under any pressure and was an internal matter of the country. He added that a clear message had been sent to the international community that Pakistan would act in its self-interest.

Sources further said Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi was praised for his diplomacy during the meeting.

In an interview to CNN, Pakistan’s military spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said the ball is now in India's court following Pakistan's peace gesture of releasing Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot and warned the situation will "go bad" if New Delhi decides to opt for further escalation.

During the interview, Major General Ghafoor, when asked if the two countries were close to war, said, "We were I would say close to war because when they [India] violated the airspace under token aggression, we went for response.”