Twitter
Advertisement

Pak defence minister supports 'no first use' of N-weapons

Asif Ali Zardari's assertion that Pakistan will not be the first to use nuclear weapons in a conflict with India has been defended by the defence minister.

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari's assertion that Pakistan will not be the first to use nuclear weapons in a conflict with India has been defended by defence minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, who said such weapons serve as a deterrent for both countries.

Zardari's statement, made during a video-conference with a meeting organised in New Delhi last month, was made in Pakistan's interest as most people are not aware of the
potential of nuclear weapons, Mukhtar told reporters in Gujarat on Thursday.

Nuclear weapons served as a deterrent for both Pakistan and India and were also the reason why the two countries were holding back from war, he said. No one could advise the president to withdraw his comments on Pakistan not being the first to use nuclear weapons, said Mukhtar, a close aide of Zardari.

Asked about reports that admiral Mike Mullen, the senior-most US military official, had advised Pakistan to stay calm in the event of surgical strikes by India in the wake of
the Mumbai attacks, Mukhtar said no one could dictate to Pakistan how to defend its frontiers and sovereignty. 

No one could also stop Pakistan from mounting a response if there were surgical strikes, he said.  The president, prime minister and foreign minister had diminished the threat of war through their interaction with the friends of Pakistan in the world community, Mukhtar said.

The Pakistan government will also review its confidence-building measures with India once the findings of the probe into the Mumbai attacks are made public, he said.
      
India has blamed Pakistan-based elements for the Mumbai attacks that killed over 180 people. It has asked Pakistan to take action against these elements, including the banned Lashker-e-Taiba terror group.

Pakistan has been insisting that India should provide evidence through diplomatic channels so that it can take forward its investigation into the Mumbai incident.

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement