ISLAMABAD - Former director National Command Authority (NCA) Lt Gen (Retd) Khalid Kidwai yesterday ruled out the possibility of Indian aggression against Pakistan because of its nuclear deterrence.
“Pakistan’s only enemy is India and our nuclear programme is India-centric,” Kidwai who is also advisor on NCA said at a special talk arranged by the Institute of Strategic Studies on Friday on Pakistan’s role in Nuclear Security Summit. “War is not an option for resolving the outstanding issues between India and Pakistan, diplomacy and political approach should be given priority,” he added. Referring to a recent report released by the Harvard Kennedy School, General Kidwai laughed at it saying no one could dare to steal Pakistan’s nuclear weapons.
The report had said: “With Pakistan moving towards tactical nuclear weapons, there is an increasingly higher risk of nuclear theft.”
He said Pakistan maintains a strong command and control system over the safety and security of its nuclear weapons.
He said Pakistan is not at all apologetic on its missile and nuclear programme and it would not be capped at all. He said that the nuclear programme will continue for Pakistan’s defence.
Expressing grave concerns over India’s access to the Nuclear Supplier Group’s (NSG), he said Pakistan has friends at NSG and all measures would be taken at diplomatic level to protect our strategic interests.
General Kidwai led the administration of Pakistan’s nuclear and missile weapons programme for 15 years. He now serves as an adviser to the National Command Authority, a committee of the top civilian and military leaders that sets the country’s nuclear weapons policy.