No change in Pakistan’s policy on use of nukes: FO

Tensions have been running high between Pakistan and India since New Delhi stripped IOK of its semi-autonomy

ISLAMABAD: Minutes after a foreign news agency wrongly quoted Prime Minister Imran Khan as saying that Pakistan would never use nuclear weapons first, the Foreign Office reiterated that there was no change in Pakistan’s nuclear policy.

“…the spokesperson said that the prime minister’s comments on Pakistan’s approach towards conflict between two nuclear armed states are being taken out of context,” the Foreign Office said in a brief statement.

“While conflict should not take place between two nuclear states, there’s no change in Pakistan’s nuclear policy,” it added.

Prime Minister’s comments on Pakistan’s approach towards conflict between two nuclear armed states are being taken out of context. While conflict should not take place between two nuclear states, there’s no change in Pakistan’s nuclear policy.

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) September 2, 2019

“There will be no first from our side ever,” the PM said while addressing the first international Sikh convention in Lahore on Monday, according to the agency. Pakistan has not made any commitment on use of strategic weapons if hostilities break out with India.

Tensions have been running high between Pakistan and India since New Delhi illegally and unconstitutionally stripped occupied Kashmir of its semi-autonomy and turned the disputed region into a gigantic prison last month.

Unnerved by the severe global backlash to the illegal move, Indian government ministers starting rattling sabers in an abortive attempt to bully Pakistan into silence.

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hinted last month at changing his country ‘no-first use’ nuclear policy. “What happens in the future depends on the circumstances,” he said at a ceremony in Pokran in an oblique threat to Pakistan.

Pokran is a city and a municipality located in the Jaisalmer district of the Indian state of Rajasthan. This is where India had conducted a series of five nuclear bomb test detonations at a test facility in 1998.