Editorial: Nuclear sabre-rattling

Pakistan ministers Khawaja Asif and Hanif Abbasi, by flaunting the country’s nuclear status, are resorting to war-mongering

India has been a responsible nuclear weapon state with a firm commitment to the doctrine of ‘no-first-use’. In sharp contrast, Pakistan has been reckless and belligerent in flaunting its nuclear status. The recent statements emanating from across the border, following the horrific terrorist attack at Pahalgam in Kashmir, are highly deplorable. Those occupying the responsible ministerial positions are resorting to cheap war-mongering. Both Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Railway Minister Hanif Abbasi have raised the spectre of a nuclear conflict amid heightened tension between the two countries. While Asif has said that his country would use nuclear weapons if “there is a direct threat to our existence”, Abbasi, on the other hand, warned that Pakistan’s arsenal — including Ghori, Shaheen and Ghaznavi missiles along with 130 nuclear warheads — has been kept “only for India”. Abbasi has claimed that the N-weapons are installed at secret locations and would be unleashed if India goes ahead with drastic steps such as stopping the water supply to Pakistan. Such preposterous statements and threats would not deter India from responding decisively and resolutely to punish the planners and supporters of the Pahalgam attack. By raising the nuclear bogie, Pakistani leaders may hope to attract the attention of the global powers and persuade them to intervene in the matter. The whole world is appreciative of the fact that India’s declared ‘no-first-use’ pledge has contributed towards cementing its position as a responsible nuclear player.

India’s nuclear doctrine, adopted in 2003, has two main components: Building and maintaining a credible minimum deterrence and the no-first-use policy under which nuclear weapons will only be used in retaliation to a nuclear attack on Indian territory or Indian forces anywhere. On the other hand, Pakistan has made no such commitment, making it a dangerous player in the subcontinent and beyond. Islamabad typically uses a combination of proxy warfare and the threat of nuclear weapons to offset India’s superior capabilities in conventional warfare. In fact, Pakistan does not have any nuclear doctrine, thereby exposing itself as a highly irresponsible state with a real danger of nuclear weapons falling into the hands of rogue elements. Its leaders have often harped on the country’s nuclear status and threatened India that they would not hesitate to use nuclear weapons. Thus, the latest outbursts by Pakistani ministers fall into a familiar pattern. Khawaja Asif’s open confession, during a recent media interview, to his country’s history of supporting and funding terrorist organisations exposes Pakistan as a rogue state fuelling global terrorism and destabilising the region. This open admission, however, surprises no one as the international community recognises Islamabad as a global hub for terrorism. The strong and unequivocal support extended to India by global leaders, in the wake of the Pahalgam tragedy, is a testimony to the international community’s zero tolerance for terrorism.