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

Islamabad, Dec 26 (PTI) 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 Gujrat
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-Toiba 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. PTI RHL
DEP