Pakistan on Monday took exception to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks about India’s nuclear capability, terming them “highly unfortunate” and said such nuclear brinksmanship should be discouraged.
Pointing out that Modi referred to the night of February 27and missile-related threat from India as ‘Qatal ki Raat’ (the night of murder),a Foreign Office (FO) statement said, “It clearly contradicts the positionof Indian officials, who had tried to give an impression that there were nosuch plans of India and instead had blamed Pakistan for ‘whipping up warhysteria’.”
“Such nuclear brinksmanship needs to bediscouraged,” it said.
Addressing a poll rally at Patan in Gujarat on Sunday, Modisaid after Abhinandan was caught, opposition started seeking a reply from him.
“We held a press conference and warned Pakistan that ifanything happened to our pilot, you will keep telling the world what Modi didto you. A senior American official said on the second day that Modi has kept 12missiles ready and might attack and the situation will deteriorate. Pakistanannounced return of the pilot, or else it was going to be a ‘qatal kiraat’,” he said.
The FO statement said, “Pakistan considers theseremarks as highly unfortunate and irresponsible.”
“Such rhetoric for short-term political and electoral gains, with complete disregard to its effects on strategic stability in South Asia is regrettable and against norms of responsible nuclear behaviour,” it added.