Pak says reports of increase in nuke warheads 'speculative'

Islamabad, Sep.4 (ANI): Pakistan has rejected reports that it has enhanced its nuclear capabilities and has considerably increased the number of its nuclear warheads from 60 to around 70-90.

Interacting with media persons after a meeting with Minister for Religious Affairs, Hamid Saeed Kazmi, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi termed the reports 'speculative'.

Qureshi said Pakistan is against an arms race in the region and does not have any aggressive designs against any country.

"Pakistan is a peaceful country and wants to establish peace in the region but minimum credible deterrence is right of Pakistan and it will be maintained at all cost," The Dawn quoted Qureshi, as saying.

According to a study in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Pakistan is pushing ahead with a plutonium-based nuclear programme, superior to its previous uranium technology program.

The report concluded that Pakistan has an arsenal of 70 to 90 nuclear weapons and is 'busily enhancing its capabilities across the board.'

"The US Defence Intelligence Agency in 1999 had estimated that Pakistan has 25 to 35 warheads and would have between 60 and 80 by 2020," the report said

The report, carried by The Telegraph, also said that a new nuclear-capable ballistic missile is being readied for deployment and two nuclear-capable cruise missiles are under development. (ANI)