Pakistan on Friday raised the nuclear spectre by expressing concerns over the build-up of unprotected weapons material in India’s.
“This build-up has been facilitated by the 2008 Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) waiver granted to India, which not only dented the credibility of the non-proliferation regime and undermined its efficacy, but also negatively affected the strategic balance in South Asia,” said Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakriya at a weekly press briefing.
“Pakistan has long maintained that India’s rapidly expanding military nuclear programme poses a grave threat to peace and stability in the region and beyond,” Nafees Zakaria added
He was asked to comment on the new groundbreaking research carried out by nuclear experts disclosing that India could produce a maximum of 356 to 492 nuclear weapons — far greater than most current western assessments.
A recent groundbreaking research study revealed that India already has sufficient material and technical capacity to make 356 to 492 nuclear bombs. This work is in contrast to several earlier studies which took a much modest view of the Indian nuclear bomb-making potential.
A study titled ‘Indian Unsafeguarded Nuclear Programme’, published by the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad (ISSI) and co-authored by four nuclear scholars, unveils a new and comprehensive assessment of India’s nuclear weapon capacity.
“These concerns have been fully validated by publicly available reports on significant upcoming fissile material facilities and build up of safeguarded weapon-usable fissile material in India,” the spokesperson said while responding to the new study.
He said it was unfortunate that the NSG did not require India to make any worthwhile non-proliferation commitments at the time.
He warned that another country-specific exemption by the NSG on the membership question would only further exacerbate the ill effects of the 2008 exemption.
“It remains our hope that the NSG member states would make a well-considered decision this time keeping in view its long-term implications for the global non-proliferation regime as well as strategic stability in our region,” the spokesperson further said.
When asked about the charges against the Indian official who was being expelled, Zakaria said Surjeet Singh was involved in activities which were not in the interest of our national security.
Rejecting criticism against Pakistan for not acting decisively against all militant groups, the spokesperson made it clear that Pakistan did not draw any distinction between terrorist groups. “We will not allow our land to be used against any other country,” he maintained.
“Pakistan, in fact, is the victim of foreign funded terrorist elements and the recent Quetta attack is a clear proof of it,” Zakaria added in a clear reference to the involvement of Indian intelligence agency in subversive activities.
Responding to the reported statement by US general stationed in Afghanistan that the Haqqani network had a free run in Pakistan, the spokesperson replied, “Let me refer to some media reports in June and August this year reporting killing of a senior leader and four senior Commanders of Haqqani Network in Afghanistan by the US forces, which clearly indicate where the Haqqanis are.”
About Pakistan’s decision to attend the Heart of Asia conference in India, the spokesperson said this process was aimed at bringing peace and stability to Afghanistan with the collaboration of regional countries.
“It is line with Pakistan’s commitment to supporting all efforts towards peace and stability in Afghanistan that we will be attending the conference,” he said.
“Pakistan has always supported efforts to ensure peace and prosperity in the region and will continue to do so. We will play our role and will not let this regional forum fall prey to the myopic political agenda of any country. However, the decision on the level and manner of participation in the Heart of Asia conference is yet to be taken,” he added.
Responding to another question that diplomatic community expressed concerns regarding the security situation due to Imran Khan’s planned protest on November 2, he expressed his ignorance about any such development.