Pakistan said on Thursday that the help being given by major world powers to India to pursue its “ambitious” nuclear weapons programme was posing a threat to the peace and stability of the region that it could not ignore.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Basit said this while responding to a question on the recent defence agreements between India and Russia at a media briefing.
“We have legitimate interest in ensuring a strategic balance in South Asia under all circumstances,” the spokesman said, adding that Pakistan would take “every legitimate step” to protect its own security.
“This is all the more important due to the jingoistic statements coming from New Delhi about waging a limited war based on its dangerous and naïve policy of a cold start strategy,” he said.
Without naming any country, the spokesman said world powers had a “significant responsibility” in this regard.
“There are some major powers that are enabling India to pursue its ambitious nuclear program more rapidly, which is detrimental to peace and stability in the region. Pakistan cannot be oblivious to this.”
‘No compromise’
He said there would be “no compromise” by Pakistan in maintaining a credible nuclear deterrence.
He also spoke about Pakistan’s need for civilian nuclear energy to overcome its energy deficiency.
Mr. Basit declined to comment on statements by Pakistani ministers and other officials blaming India for the violent unrest within the country, saying “we do not believe in a blame game nor that of point scoring.”
Enough had been said on the issue and Pakistan, the spokesman said, would proceed with it “as appropriately as possible and in the best interest of the country.”
He said the ball was in India’s court for restarting the composite dialogue process. There were no back channel talks with India yet, the spokesman said.
