The following is a report from The Times of India this morning. Whether it is true or not, it serves as a useful reminder that Pakistan’s nuclear weapons remain a source of concern, especially as Islamic militancy is growing stronger in the country, and many radical groups would like to seize power.
“Pak was preparing to use nuke missiles during Kargil war” The Times of India 28 Oct. 2007Pakistan was preparing to use nuclear missiles against India during the Kargil war, a new book has claimed, citing a conversation between US President Bill Clinton and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif eight years back.
“When President Clinton met Sharif at Blair House (in July 1999), Clinton asked Sharif if he knew how advanced the threat of nuclear war really was? Did he know, for example that his military was preparing to use nuclear missiles?” the book “Deception: Pakistan, the United States and the Global Nuclear Weapons Conspiracy” says.
Answering Clinton’s query, Sharif shook his head implying he was unaware of his military’s moves, investigative journalists Adrian Levy and Catherine Scott-Clark have claimed in their 586-page book.
Warning Sharif, the President said he had a statement ready for release that would pin all the blame for Kargil on Pakistan if the Prime Minister refused to pull his forces back.
Clinton further questioned Sharif on whether the Pakistani leader could be trusted on anything.
The US President reminded Sharif that despite his promise to help bring Osama bin Laden to justice, the ISI had continued to work with bin Laden and the Taliban to foment terrorism and the Americans knew that.
The Americans were unsure as to who was really in control in Islamabad, the authors said, as confusion prevailed over whether Sharif was in reality pushed into a war by General Pervez Musharraf, or he attempted to diminish his role in the crisis.