Nuke capability to 'deter' possible aggression from India: Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan today said its nuclear capability is to "deter" possible aggression from India and to prevent war.

The Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) spokesman issued a statement in this regard after an article by scientist and commentator Dr Parvez Hoodbhoy said in its opening sentence that Pakistan will use nukes in case of war with India.

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"The opening sentence of the article is not only incorrect but also misleading," Foreign Office Spokesman Qazi Khalilullah said.

Hoodbhoy's article said, "Pakistan may first use nuclear weapons in a future war with India was announced last week by Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry."

Khalilullah clarified that the Foreign Secretary had stated that Pakistan's nuclear capability has been developed to deter aggression by India.

"This capability is for deterrence and to prevent war," he said.

The Foreign Office statement claimed that India is using its conventional advantage to "create space for war" while Pakistan's nuclear deterrence is intended to "prevent and eliminate that space for war".

Chaudhry last month had said Pakistan's tactical weapons are aimed at off-setting the threat by India's cold-start doctrine -- developed for use in a possible war with Pakistan that involves various branches of India's military conducting offensive operations.