Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif convened an emergency meeting of the National Command Authority (NCA) on Saturday to assess potential responses involving the country’s nuclear and ballistic arsenal, amid heightened tensions with India, according to state television.
The NCA—Pakistan’s highest strategic body, chaired by the Prime Minister—is responsible for the control, oversight, and doctrinal planning of the country’s nuclear forces.
The move follows what Islamabad has called an act of “Indian aggression.” Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar accused New Delhi of crossing a “red line” by carrying out missile strikes on Pakistani air bases earlier that morning.
“Pakistan’s patience has reached its limit,” Dar told reporters, insisting that the country has “no choice but to respond.”
Warning of a potential escalation, Dar stated that nuclear retaliation could not be ruled out if India continued its offensive strategy. He added that the NCA was taking the necessary steps to prepare for all possible scenarios.
The latest developments mark one of the most serious flashpoints between the two nuclear-armed neighbors in recent years.