International
oi-Ruchika Pareek
Pakistan
Prime
Minister
Shehbaz
Sharif
on
Saturday
firmly
denied
any
intention
of
using
nuclear
weapons
during
the
recent
conflict
with
India,
emphasizing
that
Pakistan’s
nuclear
programme
exists
solely
for
“peaceful
purposes
and
national
defence.” Addressing
a
group
of
students
in
Islamabad,
Sharif
underlined
that
the
country’s
deterrence
is
not
meant
for
aggression.
Reflecting
on
the
four-day
military
confrontation
with
India,
Sharif
said
55
Pakistani
nationals
were
killed
in
the
Indian
military
strikes.
He
claimed
that
Pakistan
had
retaliated
with
“full
might” during
the
escalation
but
reiterated
that
nuclear
weapons
were
never
considered.
“Pakistan’s
nuclear
capability
is
aimed
at
peace
and
protecting
our
sovereignty.
It
is
not
for
initiating
conflict,”
Sharif
said
in
response
to
a
query
about
the
possible
use
of
nuclear
arms.
India
had
launched
Operation
Sindoor
on
May
7
in
retaliation
for
the
April
22
terror
attack
in
Pahalgam
that
resulted
in
the
deaths
of
26
civilians.
The
Indian
armed
forces
targeted
nine
terror
camps
across
Pakistan
and
Pakistan-occupied
Kashmir,
including
areas
in
Bahawalpur
–
known
to
be
a
stronghold
of
the
banned
terror
outfit
Jaish-e-Mohammad.
Meanwhile,
Sharif
also
rejected
reports
suggesting
internal
rifts
within
Pakistan’s
leadership.
He
dismissed
speculation
that
President
Asif
Ali
Zardari
might
step
down
or
that
Chief
of
Army
Staff
Field
Marshal
Asim
Munir
harboured
ambitions
to
assume
the
presidency.
Calling
these
reports
“mere
speculations,”
Sharif
affirmed
that
no
such
discussions
had
taken
place.
“Field
Marshal
Asim
Munir
has
never
expressed
any
desire
to
become
the
president,
nor
is
any
such
plan
under
consideration,”
Sharif
told
The
News.
He
further
stressed
that
his
working
relationship
with
both
Zardari
and
Munir
was
based
on
mutual
respect.
His
comments
came
after
Interior
Minister
Mohsin
Naqvi
issued
a
strong
statement
on
X,
denouncing
what
he
described
as
a
“malicious
campaign”
against
the
country’s
top
leadership.
Naqvi,
considered
close
to
the
military
establishment,
claimed
the
campaign
was
being
fuelled
by
foreign
elements.
“We
know
who
is
behind
this
campaign,”
he
stated.
“There
is
no
truth
to
rumours
about
the
president
resigning
or
the
COAS
eyeing
the
presidency.”
He
added,
“To
those
spreading
this
narrative
in
partnership
with
hostile
foreign
agencies-do
what
you
will.
We
will
continue
doing
what’s
necessary
to
make
Pakistan
strong
again,
InshAllah.”
Field
Marshal
Asim
Munir,
appointed
army
chief
in
2022,
had
his
original
three-year
tenure
extended
to
five
years
by
the
current
government.
(With
PTI
inputs)
