Pakistan's nuclear
tests stabilized
security situation in South Asia
ISLAMABAD, May 18 (APP): Information and Culture Minister Mushahid
Hussain said on Monday that Pakistan's nuclear deterrance stablized the security situation
in South Asia which was upset by India's, "status-driven," nuclear tests.
Talking to a group of Iranian journalists, he cited the,"arrogant," attitude of
the Indian leaders towards Pakistan following Pokharan tests.
However, he said the regional situation stabilized after Pakistan detonated its nuclear
devices. He said New Delhi's nuclear tests were driven by its quest for status and
superiority. "But our (nuclear) tests were security-driven."
Mushahid Hussain said Pakistan never wanted to be bogged down in any arms or nuclear race
with India. "It is India which initiated nuclear and arms race in the region
and not we."
He said the government of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif took several initiative to
defuse tension in the relations between Pakistan and India. "But India failed to
respond positively to these gestures," he regretted. He said Kashmir is the main
roadblock in the normalization of relations between Islamabad and New Delhi.
Referring to Pakistan-Iran relations, he said the two countries enjoy common heritage,
faith, history and culture. "There is no conflict of interest between us. There is
more convergence of views between Pakistan and Iran," he maintained.
Mushahid Hussain hailed the process of rappraochment between Iran and Saudi Arabia and
expressed the confidence that,"it will augur well for the entire Muslim
world."
He recalled that the basis for detente in Riyadh-Tehran ties has been laid in Islamabad in
March 1997 when Prime Minister nawaz Sharif arranged a meeting between Saudi Crown
Prince Abdullah and then Iranian President Hashemi Rafsanjani on the sidelines of
extra-ordinary summit of Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).
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