Pakistan criticises Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's remarks on its nuclear arsenal

Pakistan on Thursday criticised Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's remarks on its nuclear arsenal, saying it showed his "sheer ignorance" of the mandate and responsibilities of a specialised agency of the United Nations. Shortly after landing in Srinagar in his first trip to Jammu and Kashmir since Operation Sindoor, Singh Thursday said Pakistan's nuclear weapons should be brought under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as they are not safe in such a rogue nation.

Singh's comments came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India would not tolerate "nuclear blackmail" by Pakistan and would punish cross-border terrorism strongly.

In a statement, Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan Thursday said these "irresponsible remarks reveal his profound insecurity and frustration" regarding Pakistan's effective defence.


"Pakistan's conventional capabilities are adequate to deter India, without the self-imposed 'nuclear blackmail' that New Delhi suffers," Khan said.

"The comments of India's Defence Minister also show his sheer ignorance of the mandate and responsibilities of a specialised agency of the United Nations like the IAEA," the spokesperson said.