'Pak assesses India has material for over 2,000 nuclear-warheads'

Islamabad, Sep 10: Pakistan has assessed that India has enough fissile material to build more than 2,000 nuclear warheads, a media report said today.

The apex policy-making body for Pakistan's strategic programme, the National Command Authority (NCA), noted that India's rapidly growing nuclear programme and absence of a conflict resolution mechanism were upsetting strategic stability in the region.

The situation was forcing Pakistan to maintain 'full- spectrum deterrence capability', the Dawn reported.

"Contrary to international estimates which give a watered down view, Pakistani assessment is that India has enough fissile material, both reactor and weapon-grade plutonium, for more than 2,000 warheads," the report said.

It cited a paper published by the International Institute of Strategic Studies this year that noted: "New Delhi's plutonium stocks also continue to pile up; according to one Pakistani assessment, by the end of 2013 India had produced enough weapons- and reactor-grade plutonium (0.8-1tn and 15tn respectively) for 2,000 warheads."

The NCA meeting, held yesterday, was presided over by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and attended by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, and Advisor on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz among others.

The meeting reviewed the regional security environment and was briefed on fast-paced strategic and conventional capability developments taking place in the neighbourhood, the report said.

Pakistan's reference to the speed with which India is developing its nuclear programme follows reports by US think- tanks Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Stimson Centre which said Pakistan had the fastest growing nuclear programme and could have the third largest nuclear stockpile within five to 10 years.

The meeting agreed that Pakistan should maintain full- spectrum deterrence capability in line with the dictates of credible minimum deterrence against all forms of aggression.

PTI