MULTAN, Dec 25: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has urged India to desist from any aggressive action and said that Pakistan is fully prepared to meet any eventuality.

Talking to newsmen on arrival here on Thursday, the minister said Pakistan had conveyed its position to the entire world, including India, that it wanted peace but would defend itself if war was thrust upon it.

We have informed our friendly countries, including the OIC states, about Indian designs and have made it clear that if India imposes a war on Pakistan our armed forces will give a befitting response.

When asked whether possibility of a war could be ruled out, he said: If you are asking me, I am not ruling out anything, but if a war is imposed we will respond like a brave and self-respecting nation.

He also urged India to refrain from any ‘surgical strike’.

He said he had suggested to the president and the prime minister to send delegations comprising senior diplomats and politicians to major countries to put across Pakistan’s point of view.

About the arrest of some Indian citizens in connection with Wednesday’s Lahore bomb blast, Mr Qureshi said he would not comment because he had not been informed about it officially.

He said that according to his information the two-day meeting of Indian ambassadors held recently in New Delhi was not related to the Mumbai attacks.

He said the United Nations had decided to constitute a commission to probe into the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, adding that the government did not want to punish the assassins but also to expose the hidden hands behind the crime.

APP adds: Mr Qureshi said: I want to give a message to India that we are the torchbearers of peace and will remain committed to our desire for peace.

Contrary to our reasonable, cooperative and non-aggressive attitude, some elements in India were issuing provocative statements.

But we do not feel the need to do this. We have confidence in ourselves and we rely on the Almighty.

We have also conveyed our grief to the families of those who had lost their loved ones in the Mumbai attacks.

We will not resort to provocation while remaining committed to cooperation but at the same time we will also not tolerate any pressure.

We want to give a message that the whole nation stands united and knows how to defend the geographical boundaries of the motherland.

Answering a question about reports of evacuation of civilians from bordering areas in Rajasthan, Mr Qureshi said that as far as the mobilisation on the ground was concerned the situation was not what it was in 2001.

But situation keeps changing and we will prepare a strategyafter examining any change.