ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Pakistan has said that it was India which introduced nuclear weapons in South Asia, and it had to develop nuclear capability purely for self-defense.
“Pakistan was not the first to introduce nuclear weapons in South Asia; India did,” a spokesman of Pakistan’s Embassy in Washington said in a letter “Pakistan’s Nuclear Arms” to The New York Times.
The letter was written in response to an Editorial “Nuclear Fears in South Asia” published on The New York Times on April 6, asking the world major powers to turn their attention to South Asia especially Pakistan after the nuclear deal with Iran is made final.
The letter said that Pakistan has no intention to enter into a conventional or nuclear arms race in South Asia. It said that it was India and not Pakistan, which introduced nuclear weapons in South Asia.
“Pakistan has no desire to engage in a conventional or nuclear arms race,” the letter said.
The letter said that Pakistan was forced to develop a nuclear capability for self-defense. It said that Pakistan has consistently declared that its nuclear weapons are for deterrence.
It further said that Pakistan has consistently called for a dialogue with India to address all issues of mutual concern including terrorism.
