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Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan’s nuclear programme is solely for “peaceful purposes” and national defence, “not for aggression.”
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday dismissed concerns that the recent tensions with India could escalate into a nuclear conflict, stating that the country’s nuclear arsenal is solely for peaceful purposes and self-defence, “not for aggression.”
He made the remarks while recalling the recent four-day conflict between India and Pakistan, during which he said 55 Pakistani citizens were killed. He added that Pakistan responded to the escalation “with full might.”
Speaking to students in Islamabad, Sharif said, “Pakistan’s nuclear programme is solely for peaceful purposes and national defence, not for aggression.”
The exchange followed India’s launch of Operation Sindoor, a military campaign targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The strikes, carried out on May 7, were in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 civilians. Targets reportedly included nine sites, including the terror camp in Bahawalpur, linked to the Jaish-e-Mohammad group.
Separately, Sharif addressed speculation regarding a possible leadership reshuffle, dismissing claims that President Asif Ali Zardari might resign or that Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir was seeking the presidency.
“Field Marshal Asim Munir has never expressed any desire to become the president, nor is there any such plan in the offing,” he said in an interview with The News.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also condemned what he called a “malicious campaign” against the country’s civilian and military leadership.
In a post on X, he alleged that foreign elements were involved in spreading the rumours, asserting that authorities were aware of those behind the narrative.
Munir, appointed as army chief in 2022, was granted a two-year extension to his initial three-year term.
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