ISLAMABAD – The Foreign Office Friday said that statement of Indian defence minister on why India cannot use nuclear weapons first was a “manifestation of India’s double speak and a threat to region’s peace and security”.
“Such statements from a person no less than defence minister of a country that has repeatedly and constantly heightened tensions with aggressive posture is a threat to regional and global peace,” Foreign Office Spokesman Nafees Zakaria said at a weekly press briefing here at Foreign Office.
Indian defence minister Manohar Parrikar had stated that “instead of saying that India won’t use nuclear weapons first, should say it is a responsible nuclear power”.
The Spokesman said India’s claim of ‘no first use of nuclear weapons’ could not substitute to the restraint measures as proposed in Pakistan’s standing offer of ‘Strategic Restraint Regime’.
“Pakistan has long maintained that India’s ambiguous no first use declaration is not verifiable and amounts to nothing,” he said.
The Spokesman said that Pakistan had time and again cautioned the international community of “Indian tendency towards adventurism”.
He said in this backdrop, signing of nuclear deals by some countries was a matter of concern as “it had only reinforced arrogance and belligerence to the Indian conduct in the region and beyond”.
He mentioned that India’s atrocities and worst crimes in Indian Occupied Kashmir and its nonstop ceasefire violations at Line of Control and Working Boundary also testified this fact.
“India has deliberately escalated tensions at LoC and Working Boundary in an attempt to divert world’s attention from the grave human rights violations committed by Indian security forces in IOK,” he added.
The Spokesman said Pakistan had no desire to escalate the tension, however, was forced to retaliate, adding that the restraint had also been appreciated by the international community.About Interior Ministry’s decision to expel staff of Pak Turk schools,
the Spokesman said the organization which was registered as a charity entity in the parent country Turkey was banned by the government, and subsequently had no legitimacy of its branches’ working abroad.
However, he said that Pakistan government was fully conscious of the situation and would take appropriate arrangements in the interest of students and employees of Pak Turk Schools.
About Nuclear Suppliers Group’s meeting held in Vienna on November 11, the Spokesman said the majority of the members favoured a non-discriminatory approach and considering criteria for the candidates for new membership.
This has resonated Pakistan’s stance as it appeared as a strong candidate for the NSG membership, he added.
When asked about the upcoming meeting of Russia, Pakistan and China on Afghanistan’s issues next month, the Spokesman said the objective was to discuss the spillover effect of non-state elements present in Afghanistan.
He said that Pakistan attached importance to all initiatives aimed at bringing peace in Afghanistan, in the region and beyond.
About Pakistan’s decision to participate in the Heart of Asia Conference to be held in India, he said Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz would attend the meeting in view of Pakistan’s interest for Afghan peace.
To a question, Zakaria said he had no update on the visit of Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah to Pakistan.
He said that Pakistan had not yet received a telephone call from American President-elect Donald Trump, however, said it looked forward to his administration in the United States. — APP
