Pakistan has voiced grave concerns over India’s use of a nuclear-capable missile during the recent four-day military standoff between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, warning that such actions have significantly heightened the risk of rapid escalation in any future conflict.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Pakistan’s former foreign minister and head of a delegation sent to Washington, stated that India's deployment of a supersonic missile with nuclear capabilities during the May 7–10 confrontation made the situation more precarious and lowered the threshold for military engagement between the two countries.

During the conflict, both sides exchanged missile, drone, and artillery fire before a ceasefire was brokered by the United States and other international partners. Bhutto Zardari warned that in future clashes, the presence of nuclear-capable missiles would leave decision-makers with mere seconds to determine whether an incoming missile was armed with a nuclear warhead, increasing the risk of catastrophic miscalculation. He argued that this scenario could force both sides to climb the “escalation ladder” far too quickly for international intervention to prevent disaster.

India, for its part, has not officially declared its BrahMos missile to be nuclear capable and maintains a stated no-first-use nuclear policy. Indian officials have also asserted that the conflict never approached the threshold of nuclear war. However, the use of such advanced weaponry has alarmed Pakistani officials and prompted Islamabad to call for international involvement and investigation into the causes and conduct of the conflict.

The latest hostilities were triggered by a deadly attack on April 22 in Indian-administered Kashmir, which killed 26 civilians, mostly Indian tourists. India accused Pakistan of supporting the attackers, a charge Islamabad denies. In response, India launched missile strikes against what it called militant hideouts in Pakistan, marking the deepest incursion into Pakistani territory since the 1971 war. Pakistan retaliated, claiming to have shot down six Indian warplanes, a figure disputed by Indian military officials.

After the ceasefire, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that India would not hesitate to use force against “terror camps” in Pakistan again, signalling what he described as a “new normal” in bilateral relations. Pakistan, however, views this approach as destabilizing and has reiterated the need for comprehensive dialogue between the two countries to prevent future escalations.

The international community, particularly the United States, played a key role in brokering the ceasefire and has expressed concern over the potential for any future conflict between India and Pakistan to spiral into a nuclear exchange. While Pakistan has welcomed outside mediation, India insists that all issues with Pakistan will be handled bilaterally, rejecting third-party involvement.

Pakistan’s warning highlights the increased risks posed by the use of nuclear-capable missiles in South Asia’s volatile security environment, underscoring the urgent need for renewed diplomatic engagement and crisis management mechanisms to avert future disasters.

Based On Arab News Report