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Pak rejects India's no-first-use proposal

Pakistani Foreign Minister Gohar Ayub Khan has rejected India's proposal for a no-first-use (of nuclear weapons) agreement.

In an interview with Star News, he questioned the use of such an agreement when the weapon systems of both countries could strike targets in a very short time. ''The strike-time of both Prithvi and Ghauri missiles would be too small to judge who fired first. Who on god's earth will determine as to who launched first,'' he said.

He also said his country's programme of nuclear tests now put it ahead of neighbouring India.

''Having tested our nuclear devices -- a total of six so far -- and also our missiles which have an optimum range of approximately 1,500 km, it puts us now slightly ahead of Indian nuclear and missile capability,'' he told BBC1 television.

He refused to comment whether Pakistan would now begin serial production of nuclear weapons.

However, he re-affirmed that Pakistan had probably finished its programme of nuclear tests. ''I think the prime minister (of Pakistan) said (at the weekend) there would be no more. He has indicated that the present system and the present weaponry that we have, for that, is sufficient,'' he said.

Khan, speaking from Haripur, called for confidence-building measures between Pakistan and India and efforts to solve the problem over Kashmir.

Additional reportage: UNI

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