New Delhi: Former Pakistani High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit sparked international outrage after suggesting that Pakistan would launch retaliatory strikes on major Indian cities, including New Delhi and Mumbai, if the United States were to target Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.

Speaking during a discussion on a hypothetical conflict scenario, Basit outlined a strategic response in which Pakistan would hold India accountable for any American military intervention on its soil. "If America attacks Pakistan, we have to attack India—Mumbai, New Delhi—without a second thought," Basit said. He argued that because the United States might remain outside the immediate reach of certain delivery systems, targeting India would serve as the primary strategic deterrent against foreign aggression.

The former diplomat characterised the scenario as unlikely but emphasised that the threat to India’s financial and political hubs remains a core component of Pakistan's retaliatory logic. Basit, who served as Pakistan’s top envoy in New Delhi from 2014 to 2017, has a history of provocative statements regarding regional security and the status of Jammu and Kashmir.

The remarks come at a time of extreme geopolitical sensitivity, as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East between U.S.-Israeli forces and Iran enters its fourth week. The maritime blockade in the Persian Gulf has already sent global oil prices to record highs, and analysts fear that any spillover could ignite long-standing tensions in South Asia.