PAK-QURESHI 2LST

Qureshi also said during the recent Foreign Minister-
level talks, India had focussed only on its concerns related
to terrorism and the 2008 Mumbai attacks even though Pakistan
faces Mumbai-like incidents almost daily.
Describing the so-called "Cold Start doctrine" as
"irrational", Qureshi said he hoped India's political
leadership, civil society and intellectuals will discourage
any move or doctrine that endangers peace in South Asia.
He said Pakistan is prepared to mount a "swift and
effective" response to any attack on the country.
India and Pakistan need to avoid an arms race in the
region and resolve outstanding issues so that they can focus
on more pressing issues like tackling poverty and boosting
socio-economic development, Qureshi said.
Qureshi also contended that India had not responded to
several proposals made by Pakistan during 1974-1998 to keep
South Asia free of nuclear weapons.
"As a consequence, we were forced to respond to Indian
nuclear tests which were followed by highly provocative
statements made by senior political leaders in May 1998," he
said.
Addressing the seminar organised by the South Asian
Strategic Stability Institute yesterday, Defence Secretary Lt
Gen (retired) Syed Athar Ali said the idea of fighting short
intense battles under a nuclear overhang, as envisaged by the
Cold Start doctrine, is dangerous as it "underestimates the
nuclear reality of South Asia" and the "Pakistani resolve to
deter any future war...through all means available to it".
The "upward spiral" from sub-conventional war to "super
critical" or nuclear warfare cannot be ruled out because "any
future war in South Asia between India and Pakistan cannot
remain indefinitely limited in either scope, time, space or
results," Ali said. PTI RHL
MYR


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