Shehbaz Sharif Denies Use Of Nuclear Weapons During Conflict With India, Says `Pak`s Nuke Not For Aggression`-OxBig News Network

New Delhi: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday categorically rejected suggestions of a potential nuclear exchange with India during the recent military standoff, asserting that Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal is intended solely for peaceful purposes and national defence.

Speaking to a gathering of Pakistani students in Islamabad, Sharif addressed concerns about the use of nuclear weapons amid the four-day military escalation triggered by the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, India, which claimed 26 civilian lives.

In response to the attack, India launched Operation Sindoor, a major military offensive targeting terror infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The Indian armed forces conducted strikes on May 7, hitting nine terror sites, including locations in Bahawalpur, reportedly a stronghold of the Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist group.

Sharif confirmed that 55 Pakistani citizens lost their lives during the Indian strikes, but emphasized that Pakistan had responded “with full might.” However, he ruled out any consideration of nuclear retaliation. “Pakistan’s nuclear programme is designed for peaceful purposes and national self-defence. It is not intended for aggression,” he reiterated.

The Prime Minister also addressed swirling rumors of a brewing power struggle within the country’s top leadership. Dismissing speculation that President Asif Ali Zardari might be forced to resign and that Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir was eyeing the presidency, Sharif called such claims “baseless.”

“Field Marshal Asim Munir has never shown any interest in becoming the president, and there is no such plan under consideration,” Sharif told The News in a separate interview.

The comments come amid heightened political tension and a recent surge in military activity, raising international concerns about regional stability in South Asia. Sharif’s remarks appear aimed at both reassuring the public and signaling restraint to the global community.