Pak has no plans for war -- Musharraf

Pak has no plans for war -- Musharraf
AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE

KARACHI, DECEMBER 21: Pakistan will maintain a deterrence but has no plans for war or to expand its territory, the country's military ruler General Pervez Musharraf said today.

"The only viable option is to remove the temptation from the minds of potential aggressors by maintaining a credible deterrence," Musharraf said in an apparent reference to India.

Pakistan openly became a nuclear power last year after conducting nuclear tests following similar blasts in India. Musharraf, the army chief who seized power in a coup in October, has pledged to maintain that nuclear deterrence. The general was speaking at the induction of a new French-built Agosta 90-B submarine into the Pakistan fleet. Pakistan and France signed a contract for three Agosta submarines under a technology transfer contract in 1994, and the first arrived this month.

Agosta 90-B submarines are conventionally-powered attack subs used against other subs and surface vessels, as well as for intelligence-gathering and special missions, such ascommando transfers.

Meanwhile, Musharraf also rejected the possibility of restoration of the suspended parliament and termed as "nonsense" the speculations that his regime was holding secret talks with deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif.Musharraf told reporters in Karachi that his government was working "smoothly" on its seven-point agenda and there was no room for restoration of the suspended assemblies. "The present government is being run smoothly. We are working on our seven-point agenda to revive economy and promote inter-provincial harmony... The aim and focus of the present government is on economic revival and there is no room for restoration of assemblies," he said, after the ceremony to mark the induction of the submarine.

Asked about media reports that his government was holding secret talks with the detained premier Nawaz Sharif, Musharraf said, "This is all nonsense. This is not true. The case against the previous prime minister is in the court. I must not talk to him, nor am I (doing so)."On the border situation, he said, "We are ready to face any eventuality." Musharraf said Pakistan would maintain a credible "deterrence", but it does not have any intention to attack anybody.