The Hindu : Talk of pre-emptive strikes irresponsible, says Pak.

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 15, 2003

International

International

Talk of pre-emptive strikes irresponsible, says Pak.

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD APRIL 14. Describing the statements on "pre-emptive strikes" by Indian leaders as `irresponsible', Pakistan today maintained that it was India that qualified for sanction under this notion.

This was stated by the Foreign Office Spokesman, Aziz Ahmed Khan, at a news briefing in Islamabad today, while replying to questions on statements of Indian Ministers against Pakistan.

He argued that India qualified the most for pre-emptive strike as New Delhi was the `violator' of U.N. resolutions, possessed weapons of mass destruction and was responsible for "worst kind of human rights abuses".

Mr. Khan alleged that that Indian forces killed more than 80,000 Kashmiris in the last 12 years. There had been massacres of Muslims and Christian minorities in India.

At the same time, he maintained that Pakistan was against the principle of pre-emptive strike and all issues should be resolved through the United Nations. The statements of the Ministers of External Affairs and Defence, Yashwant Sinha and George Fernandes, was `irresponsible'.

Mr. Khan claimed that despite all "sorts of provocation and heightening of tension, Pakistan has shown restraint and maturity''. Pakistan continued its stand that it was ready to resolve all outstanding issues including the core issue of Kashmir through dialogue. It was Indian intransigence which prevented the resumption of a dialogue and he hoped that New Delhi would give up this stance.

In response to a question, Mr. Khan said the situation in the sub-continent was tense.

"In the past, it reached a level where the international community was forced to take note'', he said when asked if any of the functionaries of the Bush administration was expected to visit South Asia to hold talks with leaders of India and Pakistan.

In response to a question on Pakistan's nuclear programme, Mr. Khan maintained that the command control of nuclear weapons of Pakistan was in safe hands and the international community was "satisfied" with the arrangements.

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