Pakistan’s Army Chief General Raheel Sharif will not discuss the issue of its nuclear weapons in talks with American officials during his U.S. visit. "Our nuclear program focuses only threats from India and only India can remove the concerns that cause these threats," the source said. It will point to India’s “cold-start doctrine” to justify its nuclear status, a media report on Friday said.

The Dawn quoted diplomatic sources, that even if the U.S. side brings up this issue, “Pakistan will politely remind them that it is India’s so-called cold start doctrine that created the current situation”. “This increased Pakistan’s dependence on tactical nuclear weapons to counter an Indian offensive,” the Dawn reported.

“Right now, their [Indian Army’s] 21st corps is busy conducting an exercise in Rajasthan to test this cold start or proactive strategy,” said a Pakistani diplomatic source. “The nuclear issue is not a bilateral subject,” said the source.

“Absolutely not, not even a meeting. The focus will be on Afghanistan,” he said when asked if the nuclear issue is on the agenda for Gen. Sharif’s meetings in Washington.American defense officials had clarified that the Pakistan army chief is visiting the U.S. on his own, as there is no official invitation either from his counterpart or the Pentagon.

US media reports that American officials will urge Pakistan to revise its nuclear policy during Gen. Sharif’s five-day (Nov. 15-20) visit.  But Pakistan rejected the suggestion, from some unnamed US sources quoted in the media, that Pakistan’s fears of an Indian offensive were unfounded.

By Premji