PAKISTAN: FOREIGN MINISTER GOHAR AYUB KHAN INTERVIEW

• published: 21 Jul 2015
• views: 0

English/Nat Pakistani Foreign Minister Gohar Ayub Khan says his country is preparing for "any eventuality" in Kashmir, which he described as the world's flashpoint. In an interview with APTV, Ayub Khan also said Pakistan would emerge stronger as a result of its nuclear tests, despite sanctions. Pakistan answered India's nuclear tests with five underground detonations on Thursday and said it was capping a long-range missile with nuclear warheads, escalating the arms race between the rival nations. News of the nuclear tests set off street celebrations across the country, with joyful Pakistanis shooting their guns into the air and offering each other congratulatory sweets. Here in Lahore, fireworks were set off in the street. In the capital, Islamabad, newspapers carried the news of the country's five underground nuclear tests. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said his country had settled the score with India, chastising the international community for failing to punish India after it carried out five nuclear tests two weeks ago. Students at one of the city's universities joined in the celebrations. Inside Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, the country's Foreign Minister, Gohar Ayub Khan, predicted that Pakistan would emerge stronger as a result of its nuclear tests. SOUNDBITE: (English) "Well hopefully we'll find that our people will rise to the occasion, and the government will also be there, we'll give the sacrifices, the people will give the sacrifices, and in the manner that... due to sanctions and embargos we have developed our nuclear missile programme. Similarly, under the present circumstances, the nation will rise, meet the challenge and come out much stronger." SUPER CAPTION: Gohar Ayub Khan, Pakistani Foreign Minister As students continued their celebrations, Ayub Khan said his country was preparing for "any eventuality" in Kashmir. SOUNDBITE: (English) "The conflict in the world today, and the flashpoint, is between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, where India has over 600-thousand troops, and she's inducting more, human rights violations are taking place, and the Indian has said that they are going to crush the freedom movement in occupied Kashmir. They are also going to carry out cross- border raids and hot pursuit, so they say. So this we are bracing ourselves for. This could lead to anything. I hope it doesn't lead to any conflict of a major type, but we are prepared in Pakistan for any eventuality." SUPER CAPTION: Gohar Ayub Khan, Pakistani Foreign Minister Hours after the detonations, Pakistani President Rafiq Tarar declared a state of emergency, citing an unspecified "threat by the external aggression to the security of Pakistan." The order suspended the nation's constitution and legal system, and many banks and shops were closed. The terse announcement did not identify who the aggressor might be but Pakistan has accused neighbouring India of threatening to attack its nuclear installations. Meanwhile, the celebrations - which extended to this Friday prayer meeting in Islamabad - continue. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/28d39ae479d34cef17379e41d05376d1 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork