When two nuclear-armed countries fight a conventional war, there is every possibility that it could escalate into a nuclear war and impact the entire world, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has said, ratcheting up the rhetoric in the wake of spiralling tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad following India’s move to withdraw special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Khan also renewed his attack on India and said there was no question of talking to the neighbour at this point, especially after New Delhi’s move to nullify Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special status to militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir.

Talking about the country’s policy on nuclear weapons, Khan said, “…Pakistan would never start a war and I am clear [about this]. I am a pacifist, I am anti-war but what I said clearly was that when two nuclear-armed countries fight if they fight a conventional war there is every possibility to end up in a nuclear war.”

When asked about his position on dialogue with India, Khan said: “From the time I assumed office and that was last August we have made repeated attempts to hold a dialogue with India, for us to live like civilised neighbours, to resolve our differences.”

Talking about US President Donald Trump’s repeated offers to play a role for dialogue between Islamabad and New Delhi over Kashmir, he said, “We are thankful to US President Trump because he is the president of the most powerful country in the world and if the president of the US intervenes in this and seriously intervenes it is one way that you can guarantee some sort of resolution.”