ISLAMABAD – Pakistan on Sunday said it was forced to test nuclear weaponstwo decades ago due to “hostile posturing” by India.
Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal issued a statement on the eve ofthe 20th anniversary of the May 28, 1998 nuclear tests, while insistingthat the testing of atomic bombs by India eliminated chances of a nuclearweapons-free South Asia.
“Pakistan was forced to take that decision as a response, in self-defence,to the nuclear tests and accompanying hostile posturing by its neighbour.These developments unfortunately put an end to the prospect for keepingSouth Asia free of nuclear weapons – an objective which Pakistan hadactively pursued,” he said, hinting at India.
India conducted a series of five nuclear bomb test explosions at thePokhran in May, 1998, which was soon followed by Pakistan’s tests.
The spokesman said that despite the nuclear testing, Pakistan remainedsteadfast in its commitment to non-proliferation and global peace andstrategic stability and demonstrated utmost restraint and responsibility inthe stewardship of its nuclear capability since 1998.
“It is committed to the principle of credible minimum deterrence and haspersistently sought deterrence stability in the region,” he said.
Faisal also said that this objective has driven Pakistan to offer andconclude several confidence building measures (CBMs) in the nuclear andconventional domains, including the 2004 Pakistan-India Joint Statementwhich recognised the respective nuclear capabilities of the two countriesas a factor for stability.
He said that as one of the most affected countries due to the impact ofclimate change, “Pakistan plans to increase its nuclear power generationcapacity to 40,000 MW by 2050, as a clean and cost-effective alternative tofossil fuel.”
Pakistan has consistently signalled its willingness to consider furthermeasures for risk reduction and avoidance of arms race in the region,according to the spokesman.
He also said that Pakistan was confident of its ability to deny space forany misadventure against the backdrop of rapidly expanding nuclear andconventional forces in its neighbourhood and pursuit of aggressive securitydoctrines and developing force postures.
“The nuclearisation of the Indian Ocean and canesterisation of ballisticmissiles in our neighbourhood should be a matter of concern for theinternational community as well, since these developments haveextra-regional ramifications,” he said.
He said Pakistan while recognising its responsibilities, had developed overthe years a robust command and control system led by the National CommandAuthority, and effective nuclear safety and security regimes and exportcontrols.
He said Pakistan looked forward to expanding the scope of its internationalcollaboration in nuclear power generation for meeting the legitimatesocio-economic development needs of its people.
“As a country with advanced nuclear technology, Pakistan seeks to play itsrole as a mainstream partner in the global non-proliferation regime,” hesaid.
He said Pakistan had expressed desire to join the multilateral exportcontrol regimes and already applied for participation in the NuclearSuppliers Group (NSG) based on non-discriminatory criteria applicable in afair manner to all non-NPT states.