• NCA adviser Kidwai hints at using emerging technologies to strengthen country’s nuclear programme
• Remarks come against backdrop of assertions about Islamabad’s N-capabilities during Indian elections
ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the
National Command Authority Lt Gen (retd) Khalid Ahmed Kidwai has underscored Pakistan’s stance on not committing to the No First Use (NFU) policy regarding nuclear weapons.Speaking at a seminar held at the Centre for International Strategic Studies (CISS) to commemorate Youm-i-Takbeer, the anniversary of the 1998 nuclear tests, Gen Kidwai, who has served as the director general of Strategic Plans Division (SPD), said: “Pakistan does not have a No First Use policy, and I’ll repeat that for emphasis. Pakistan does not have a No First Use policy.” Islamabad has traditionally maintained ambiguity regarding the NFU policy due to New Delhi’s declared stance on the same, though Pakistani strategists were always sceptical, viewing India’s policy as more rhetorical than genuine. The scepticism towards Indian intentions stems from ambiguities in India’s NFU doctrine. This policy includes provisions that permitted nuclear strikes against nuclear-armed states or their allies under perceived threats. Such exceptions implied a willingness to pre-emptively use nuclear weapons in specific scenarios, undermining the fundamental principle of NFU. Recently, there has been a noticeable shift in India’s nuclear policy from a traditional NFU stance towards a more assertive nuclear posture. This internal debate in India regarding the revision of its NFU policy has compelled Pakistan’s military leadership to implement countermeasures, aiming to diminish any ‘perceived incentive’…
Source: dawn.com/news
Friday, April 24, 2026
