Tarar went on to vow that Pakistan would respond to any Indian attack in kind, raising the spectre of a rapid descent into all-out war between the two countries. “Any military adventurism from India will receive a certain and decisive response,” declared Tarar. “The international community must recognise that responsibility for any catastrophic escalation will rest solely with India. The people of Pakistan will defend their sovereignty and territorial integrity at all costs.”

Pakistan's information minister has said Islamabad had "credible intelligence" indicating that India planned to launch a military strike against the country within "the next 24 to 36 hours."

A severe war of words has been on since last Tuesday's deadly militant attack on tourists in Kashmir, which saw 26 Indian tourists get executed after the gunmen sought to identify Hindus among the group. The Indian government promptly accused Pakistan of harboring the Islamist terrorists which committed the atrocity, which Islamabad angrily rejected.