'First strike capability not up for grabs

ISLAMABAD - One of the top ranking defence analyst Lt General (Retd) Qayyum stated here on Tuesday that 'at no stage Pakistan surrendered or gave up its right of first nuclear strike capability. In an exclusive interview with The Nation, he said Indias doctrine of 'Cold Start is to carry out an aggression through non-conventional weapons but its strategic and political manoeuvers aim at Islamabad to give up its 'first strike right. He said:'Pakistan is a regional power and intends to live in peace in the region. 'It has developed its nuclear and missile programme for deterrence, he added. President Asif Ali Zardari had offered in his first encounter through satellite TV with Delhis top journalists, 'no first use policy towards India. In a statement that surprised strategic analysts both in Pakistan and India, Zardari had said in a video televised media event in November 2008 that Pakistan would 'most definitely not be the first to use atomic weapons in a possible conflict. Kamal Matinuddin, a retired Lieutenant General privy to Pakistans nuclear programme prior to his not so far back retirement, swiftly reacted to the Presidents 'off-the-cuff remarks to label them as 'not fully informed or completely aware of the stated Pakistans nuclear doctrine. Though it continues to remain undeclared, a known agenda of Pakistans strategic doctrine is to offset Indias superiority in conventional arms and manpower with its nuclear capability and a first strike option even in the face of a conventional conflict with India. Qayyum further said that at no stage the Army had accepted such an offer to India. He said Pakistan has the capability of first strike and even if it is attacked by a nuclear strike it has the capacity not only to absorb it but go for a second strike. Indian Air Force (IAF) chief P V Naik on Tuesday said Pakistans new tactical nuclear missile or expanding arsenal is of no worry to India. 'As per our doctrine, response to a first strike will be massive, Naik threatened. The IAF chiefs statement came following the news report that Pakistan planned to add 24 nuclear-capable, short-range missiles capable of hitting all major Indian cities to its arsenal this year. This will be the highest number of missiles Pakistan has ever produced in a year if the government achieves the target, a newspaper quoted its sources as saying. The air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles will be able to hit targets at a distance between 700 km and 1,000 km, thus putting nearly all major Indian cities within their range, the report stated. Naiks claim surfaced after a report suggesting Pakistans plan to acquire two more dozen nuclear capable missiles in its inventory. A highly acknowledged fact remains that Pakistans nuclear capable missiles are far superior in their accuracy. If the government successfully achieves its target, this would be the highest number of missiles Pakistan had ever produced in a year. These air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles would be able to hit a target at a distance between 700 km to 1,000 km, which would put nearly all major Indian cities within their range. Sources said the plan was in line with Pakistans official policy of having what is rhetorically called 'maintaining a minimum deterrence especially against India. They added that the Strategic Plans Division (SPD) a high powered body that oversees Pakistans nuclear arsenal was also supervising the production of new missiles. The SPD works under the National Command Authority (NCA) that is headed by the Prime Minister and has all services chiefs as its members. Sources said it was in one of the recent NCA meetings that SPD briefed the authority about the plan that envisaged the production of highest number of missiles ever in a year. The disclosure comes on the heels of reports earlier in the year that Pakistan was rapidly adding to its nuclear arsenal and the number of its warheads might have surpassed France. Officials in Islamabad have denied those reports but insiders said Pakistan has been 'watching closely with concern Indias increasing nuclear cooperation with the US and France. 'That is the benchmark if we see something happening in India on this front, naturally we react and we have to, said one official. According to most credible Defence Journal 'JANES, Pakistan will add to its nuclear strategic inventory 90-110 missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads upto July 2011. Same magazine has listed Indian strength of 60-80 missiles. We are not into an arms race, Qayyum said , adding, our scientists are meeting nations legitimate requirements.