If America strikes us, we should attack Indian cities like Delhi and Mumbai: Ex-Pak envoy

Provocative threat from former envoy

Basit argued that striking Indian cities should be Pakistan's default option if attacked by the United States.

He said America won’t attack Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, and Pakistan would retaliate by hitting India—'If somebody casts an evil eye on us, we will attack Mumbai and New Delhi in India without even thinking twice. We will see whatever happens later'—in a hypothetical scenario.

He spoke in response to Tulsi Gabbard’s Senate testimony about Pakistan's long-range missile programme.

Nuclear ranges and missile context

Basit's remarks followed Tulsi Gabbard's presentation of the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment to the House intelligence committee, where she warned that Pakistan is among countries 'researching and developing an array of novel advanced or traditional missile delivery systems with nuclear and conventional payloads that put our homeland within range'. The article notes that Pakistan has six operational types of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, with a mixed arsenal of short- to medium-range missiles and growing cruise-missile capabilities; Shaheen-3 can reach up to 2,750 km and is not an ICBM. The distance between the US and Pakistan is over 11,200 km.

Reaction from Indian and Pakistani officials

BJP spokesperson Tuhin Sinha condemned Basit's threat, saying it shows Pakistan is rattled by past strikes and has 'lost its mental balance'.

Pakistan's foreign affairs ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi rejected the US official's assertion, stressing that Pakistan's strategic capabilities are exclusively defensive and aimed at safeguarding sovereignty and regional stability.

Context and security implications

The piece documents how threat rhetoric and official assessments intersect in South Asia's security dynamics.

It notes Pakistan's insistence that its capabilities are defensive and linked to preserving sovereignty and stability.