Islamabad against nuclear arms race

ISLAMABAD (Reuters/AFP) - News reports about Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, including questions about its safety, are part of a malicious campaign that is counter-productive to efforts to defeat terrorism, the foreign ministry spokesman said on Thursday.
As Pakistan battles a growing Taliban insurgency, reports in US media have raised the nightmare scenario of its nuclear weapons falling into militant hands.
Pakistan has repeatedly stressed its weapons are safe.
This week, the New York Times reported US lawmakers were told in confidential briefings that Pakistan was rapidly adding to its nuclear capability, stoking fears in Congress about diversion of US funds.
“We consider this ... a malicious campaign against Pakistan which in our view is contrary to facts,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Basit told a regular briefing, referring to the reports.
“It is counter-productive to the collective objective of defeating militants and terrorism and also raises serious doubts in the minds of the people of Pakistan about the ... objective of those engaging in negative propaganda.”
Many Pakistanis believe the United States is secretly intent on confiscating Pakistan’s nuclear weapons although US officials, including President Barack Obama, have said they believe Pakistan’s weapons are safe.
When asked if Pakistan was expanding its nuclear arsenal, Basit did not respond directly, but said Pakistan was determined to maintain a minimum nuclear deterrence as nuclear-armed rival India beefed up its conventional forces.
“Nuclear deterrence is the cornerstone of Pakistan’s security and enjoys complete national consensus,” Basit said.
“We are determined to protect the credibility of our nuclear deterrence at the minimum possible level and that we will continue to do.”
Pakistan accused India of disturbing the regional balance compelling Islamabad to take remedial steps.
“We are opposed to nuclear or conventional arms race in South Asia.
Basit said Pakistan’s nuclear deterrence was “indispensable” for stability in South Asia.
“We have noticed that there have been acquisitions and sophisticated conventional weaponry has been supplied to our neighbour. This in a way disturbs the conventional balance between our two countries,” he said.