PM to tell US it won’t accept limits on tactical nuclear arms

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will tell US President Barack Obama this week that Pakistan won’t accept limits on its use of small tactical nuclear weapons, officers stated on Wednesday.

The nation insists smaller weapons would deter a sudden assault by its greater neighbour India. However the USA worries tactical weapons might additional destabilise an already risky area.

Sharif and Obama are due to meet on Thursday.

The USA needs Pakistan to commit to not utilizing tactical nuclear weapons however Islamabad needs to hold its choices open as a method of deterring a possible Indian assault, stated Maria Sultan, head of the South Asian Strategic Stability Institute.

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Pakistan says the USA is demanding unreasonable limits on its use of nuclear weapons and never providing a lot in return aside from a hazy promise to contemplate Pakistan as a recognised recipient of nuclear know-how.

“Pakistan’s nuclear programme is … India-centric. And it exists to make conflict a non-option … Tactical nuclear weapons block off this room (for conflict) utterly,” stated a safety official with information of Pakistan’s nuclear programme. “Nobody can dictate what sort of weapons we’ll make or use.”

Pakistan was working on creating a nuclear submarine, he added. “The aim is a sea-based second strike functionality,” he stated, referring to a submarine that would carry nuclear warheads and strike in case land-based nuclear weapons have been worn out.

Overseas Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry advised state tv on Tuesday this was a response to Indian threats to make a restricted, lightning raid with typical forces in case of militant assault, an concept generally known as the “Chilly Begin” doctrine.

“In India, they introduced the chilly begin doctrine,” he stated. “So we have now additionally preserved our deterrence functionality.”

Non-proliferation specialists fear that nation’s tactical nuclear weapons additional destabilise an already risky area.

“The smaller they (nuclear weapons) are, the extra tempting it turns into to use them towards a standard drive,” stated nuclear physics professor Pervez Hoodbhoy.

“The event and deployment of tactical nuclear weapons is an entire change of technique. Earlier, nuclear weapons have been devices for deterring struggle, however now they’re seen as weapons for truly preventing a warfare.”