Pakistan’s nuclear capability is in response to India’s nuclear test and to improve its defence, besides keeping up the security.
This was stated by Secretary General Pakistan Muslim League-Q Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed while addressing the inaugural session of daylong seminar on ‘FMCT Problems and Prospects’, organised by Rabita Forum International here at a local hotel on Thursday.
Senator Mushahid said, “Pakistan never wants arms race in the region and its nuclear programme was only to ensure its security and keep a strategic balance in the region and its programme was in response to India’s nuclear test.”
He said Pakistan has very effective, strong and transparent security and safety mechanism in place that has ensured the safety of its nuclear programme and system.
He said due to effective and comprehensive command and control system in Pakistan, there is no threat to its nuclear system.
Mushahid said since 1995, under an agreement both Pakistan and India are committed for not attacking each other’s nuclear installations and both the countries are exchanging lists of their nuclear installations every year on regular basis.
He said there has been more frequent movement between the two countries and it was due to the effective agreement in place between the two countries for not attacking the nuclear installations of each country.
Both the countries, although discussing many issues, should also discuss the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir as without resolving this issue the bilateral relations could not be improved, he added.
He said there is a need to bridge trust deficit between Pakistan and India, to ensure peace and security in the region despite having nuclear arsenals.
Mushahid referred to the example of France and UK that despite having no threat have been regularly increasing their nuclear capabilities.
He said military might can not be a solution to any problem as it has proved in the case of Palestine and Kashmir.
Referring to India’s civil nuclear cooperation with the United States, Mushahid said Pakistan should oppose this deal vigorously as it was against the rules and regulations and US had to change its laws to finalise the deal. He said that this deal was meant to contain China.
He said India has been under sanctions on many times due to evidences of its nuclear pilferage.
Mushahid said Pakistan’s nuclear programme is for its own defence and to create minimum deterrence in the region and it is not against any country.
He said Pakistan’s nuclear bomb should not be termed as Islamic bomb, as the nuclear technology does not have any religion otherwise, the Indian nuclear bomb could be termed as ‘vegetable bomb’.
Earlier, addressing the seminar, Dr Tanvir Ahmad Khan, Dr Zafar Iqbal, and Dr Huma Baqai said Pakistan is being singled out on the issue of nuclear capability without any justification.
They said Pakistan is a responsible nuclear state and it has announced its nuclear programme while there are some countries in the world having the same facility but without declaration in this regard.
They were of the view that Pakistan’s nuclear programme is more related to security and it was in response to the Indian capability.
