'Pakistan has atom bomb': Pak minister Shazia Marri threatens India with 'nuclear war'

Pakistan minister Shazia Marri on Saturday threatened New Delhi with a nuclear war, just days after a diplomatic showdown between India and Pakistan at the United Nations (UN). 

In a news conference held to support her foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto, Shazia said India should not forget that Pakistan has an atom bomb. "Our nuclear status is not meant to remain silent. We will not back down if the need arises," she said. 

Shazia is the Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety in the Shehbaz Sharif government. 

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Bilawal Bhutto has been under fire from many quarters in India and Pakistan for his outburst at the United Nations against India. He made some controversial remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. His remarks came soon after Jaishankar, while speaking at the UN, slammed Islamabad for its involvement in terrorism.   

Bhutto's comments against PM Modi and Jaishankar evoked sharp reactions from India with many ministers calling him 'immature'. Union Minister Anurag Thakur said Bhutto's statement was very shameful and it was an attempt to replicate the way in which the Pakistan Army was defeated by the Indian Army on this day in 1971. "Maybe he is still in pain," he said.     

Backing her foreign minister, Pakistan Peoples Party leader Shazia said that if the Modi government will fight, then it will get the answer. "If you will keep making allegations against Pakistan again and again Pakistan cannot keep listening silently, this will not happen," she was quoted as saying by the news agency ANI. 

Later in a tweet, Shazia said Pakistan is a responsible nuclear state. "Some elements in Indian media trying to create panic. Pakistan’s FM responded to inciting comments by Indian Minister. Pakistan has sacrificed far more than India in the fight against terrorism. Modi Sarkar is promoting extremism and fascism."

In a statement on December 16, India's Ministry of External Affairs slammed Pakistan foreign minister Bhutto for his 'uncivilised' remarks. "These comments are a new low, even for Pakistan," it said, adding that Bhutto has obviously forgotten this day in 1971, which was a direct result of the genocide unleashed by Pakistani rulers against ethnic Bengalis and Hindus.

"Unfortunately, Pakistan does not seem to have changed much in the treatment of its minorities. It certainly lacks credentials to cast aspersions at India."

The MEA said that Pakistan’s indisputable role in sponsoring, harbouring, and actively financing terrorist and terrorist organisations remains under the scanner. "Pakistan FM’s uncivilised outburst seems to be a result of Pakistan’s increasing inability to use terrorists and their proxies," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a statement.

He also said that cities like New York, Mumbai, Pulwama, Pathankot, and London are among the many that bear the scars of Pakistan-sponsored, supported, and instigated terrorism. This violence, he added, has emanated from their Special Terrorist Zones and exported to all parts of the world. "Make in Pakistan” terrorism has to stop, he said.