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Zardari stunned the Pakistani political and military establishment on Saturday when he announced that Islamabad would ‘most definitely’ not be the first to use atomic weapons in a possible conflict, addressing the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit via video-conference in New Delhi.
However, strategic experts and politicians in Pakistan said that Zardari would face difficulties in delivering on his promise as many thorny issues remain unresolved between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
Lt Gen (retired) Kamal Matinuddin, a leading defence analyst and close watcher of the country's nuclear programme, said Zardari's remarks appeared to have been made in an "off the cuff" manner and he was apparently "not fully informed or completely aware of" Pakistan's stated nuclear doctrine.
The opposition PML-N said the PPP-led government appeared to be indulging in "public relations" exercises instead of focussing on resolving "real issues" like the dragging Kashmir issue.
Matinuddin, who authored the book "Nuclearisation of South Asia" that charts Pakistan's nuclear programme, admitted that Zardari's remarks marked a significant shift from the country's established nuclear doctrine.
Matinuddin said Pakistan had retained the option in view of its "open borders" and status as a smaller nuclear power.
"Deterrence works only when the enemy knows Pakistan will use its nuclear weapons," he said.
Zardari's comments, he pointed out, would "reduce the effect of deterrence".
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Its a meare statement from sardhari to get an imf lone and to keep his image and pakisthans image safe to the world ....we all know how the ISI operating to destroy india and its ecnomey ....in this course they didnt even realised how they are misleading people of pakisthan and poor kasmeris, and now what happend to so called embrased islamic fundamentalism growen into militancy and they are paying the price....they want now the money from west for their existance ...once they comes out they will be riding the same bus of mileading the kasmeries towards nothing other than violance in the name of azadie and islamic fundamentalism.
Zardari is proving to be a shrewder politician than his recent counterparts. He knows he cannot afford an indian animosity when Pakistan is on the mat economically
So, as India has committed to no first strike, does that mean Pakistan does not take India's deterrent seriously? Live and let live should be the policy not deterrent. Nuclear strike first or last will be the last anyway. Nothing will remain after that. Keep that in mind.
This is really truly islamic statemnet. What Isalm taught us not to start the war first. If everybody apply this theory how the world change to become peaceful. We have to take the example of Iran. Iran never pursuade the war. Still Western and so called super power were wordless in this matter who started the war iran or iraq? as the super powers and wester support the saddam? what is the end result. This is big example for today to Manmohanji and Zardarji? we being indian must appreciate the statement of Asif Ali Zardari! Jai Hind .. Mrutuza Moosavi.. Hyd.. India