US must take steps to pull out nukes from Pak : Ex-US envoy to UN

New York, May 3 (ANI): Worried about the expanding writ of the Taliban in Pakistan, a former US ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, has said the Obama administration must seriously consider pulling out as many nuclear weapons as possible from Pakistan.

Bolton said such a step would certainly allay fears about the consequences of the Pakistan government caving to the Taliban.

He urged Obama to push for the issue during trilateral talks with Pakistan and Afghanistan next week.

"President Obama's talks next week in Washington with the presidents of Afghanistan and Pakistan provide a clear opportunity to take the hard steps necessary to secure Pakistan's nuclear arsenal and defeat the Taliban," The Nation quoted Bolton, as saying.

Bolton emphasized the need of greater US assistance to both Pakistan and Afghanistan to counter the ever advancing extremists.

"We must strengthen pro-American elements in Pakistan's military so they can purge dangerous Islamicists from their ranks, roll back Taliban advances and, together with our increased efforts in Afghanistan, decisively defeat the militants on either side of the border," he added.

Bolton also highlighted the need to reduce the heightened tension between India and Pakistan, and pressurize Pakistan to put the disgraced scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan back under house arrest.

"We must strive to keep Indo-Pakistani relations stable, if not friendly, and pressure Islamabad to put nuclear-weapons proliferator and father of Pakistan's nuclear programme Abdul Qadeer Khan back under house arrest," he said. (ANI)