Pakistan considers Indian statement on 'nuclear weapons' threat to regional peace

The Pakistani Foreign Office on Friday said statements by Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar 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," Geo News reported.

"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.

"Parrikar had stated that instead of saying that India won't use nuclear weapons first should say it is a responsible nuclear power," he added.

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.

He added that Pakistan had time and again cautioned the international community of Indian tendency towards adventurism.

Source: MENA