Shehbaz Sharif says Pakistan's nuclear programme is for 'peaceful activities and self-defence'
Mr. Sharif made the comments while addressing a group of Pakistani students in Islamabad.
Also read | Pakistan likes to dangle nuclear bogey to get the world excited, Tharoor says in Washington
Recalling the four-day military confrontation, Mr. Sharif said 55 Pakistanis were killed during the Indian military strikes. However, he emphasised that 'Pakistan responded with full might.'
When asked about the possibility of using nuclear weapons, Mr. Sharif replied, 'Pakistan's nuclear programme is solely for peaceful purposes and national defence, not for aggression." India launched Operation Sindoor targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
27 minutes ago
- Time of India
Stalin urges centre's intervention for release of 7 fishermen held by Sri Lanka
Madurai: Chief minister M K Stalin has urged the Union government to take urgent diplomatic steps to secure the release of seven Rameswaram fishermen apprehended by the Sri Lankan navy in the early hours of Sunday. In a letter to Union external affairs minister S Jaishankar, Stalin expressed concern over the recurring arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen and called for immediate measures to end the continued harassment of those operating in the Palk Strait. "I urge the Union government to engage all available diplomatic channels to bring an end to these continued apprehensions. I further request that urgent and effective steps be taken to secure the release of all detained fishermen and their boats at the earliest," he said. Stalin also highlighted that 50 fishermen and 232 Tamil Nadu fishing vessels remain in Sri Lankan custody this year, compounding the economic and emotional hardship faced by their families. The latest incident occurred around 2 am on Sunday when a mechanised trawler (IND-TN-10-MM-746), owned by V Isaac Paul of Thangachimadam, was intercepted near Neduntheevu by the Sri Lankan navy. The boat, which had left Rameswaram with valid fishing tokens issued by the fisheries department, was reportedly operating close to the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) when it was seized. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like What Is a Family Trust, and How Do You Set One Up? SmartAsset Learn More Undo The arrested fishermen were identified as B Ruther, 40, P Edison, 48, K Anbalagan, 45, M Jegadeesh, 42, all from Thangachimadam; A Shanmugam, 56, F Dalvin Raj, 42 from Rameswaram; and M Sakthivel, 43, from Keerathurai in Madurai. They were initially detained at Kankesanthurai port and later remanded to judicial custody in Jaffna prison. In a separate incident, the same morning, another mechanised boat (IND-TN-10-MM-1040), owned by Maria Seeron of Rameswaram, reportedly sustained significant damage after being hit by a Sri Lankan navy patrol vessel between Katchatheevu and Neduntheevu. However, the seven fishermen on board, Stalin, Muneeswaran, Viyakulam, Columbus, Nagesh, Stephen, and Sarath Kumar, escaped unhurt and returned safely to the Rameswaram jetty. In the past two weeks alone, aside from this latest arrest, 15 Indian fishermen have been remanded to judicial custody in two separate incidents, with their custody extended after initial hearings. J R Jesu Raja, leader of the Rameswaram Fishermen Association, condemned the arrests, stating, "The fishermen had no intention to violate international boundaries. The Sri Lankan navy is harassing them under the pretext of enforcement. One of the boats was even damaged while being chased." He appealed to both the Union and state governments to take a firm stand to ensure the safety of Indian fishermen. MSID:: 122420464 413 |


India Today
40 minutes ago
- India Today
PTI launches 'free Imran Khan' campaign from Lahore amid arrests of party workers
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the political party led by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has started a movement to demand his release from prison. The campaign, named the "Free Imran Khan Movement," was launched informally from Lahore, just weeks before the party's planned nationwide protest on August to a PTI spokesperson quoted by the Press Trust of India (PTI), police in Punjab province have been arresting party supporters and raiding homes to prevent people from joining the campaign. The party said that at least 20 workers were arrested at different locations in Lahore, where they had gathered to welcome senior the Punjab police officially denied these claims. A police source, also quoted by the news agency, confirmed that about 20 PTI members had been picked up in Lahore and other cities in recent days. The protest movement is part of PTI's plan to increase pressure on the government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the military establishment, who the party believes are responsible for Khan's CALLS FOR NATIONWIDE SUPPORTAli Amin Gandapur, Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and a senior PTI leader, arrived in Lahore on Saturday night to formally kick off the campaign. He and other top party officials are staying at a farmhouse in Raiwind, close to the Sharif family home, to finalize strategies for the upcoming protests."Any protest campaign launched from Lahore earns success and this too will be successful across the country," Gandapur said, urging PTI members and supporters to support the movement by August PTI had earlier announced that it would launch a nationwide protest campaign after the Islamic month of Muharram. The decision came after Pakistan's top court ruled against PTI's claim to reserved seats in parliament for women and minorities, which weakened the party's position in the National believes that Imran Khan's removal from office through a no-confidence vote in April 2022 was part of a plan involving political opponents and backed by the military. However, Pakistan's military has repeatedly said it does not interfere in political matters, denying the PTI's accusations of behind-the-scenes STILL BEHIND BARSImran Khan, 72, has been in jail since August 2023 and is currently facing multiple criminal charges. PTI leaders say the legal actions against him are politically motivated and part of efforts to block his return to power.- EndsWith inputs from PTIMust Watch


Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Tibet-related issues thorn in India-China relations: Envoy
Tibet-related issues including reincarnation of the Dalai Lama are a 'thorn' in India-China bilateral relations and they have become a 'burden' for New Delhi, the Chinese embassy said Sunday. The remarks came ahead of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's visit to China to attend a conclave of the SCO. It would be Jaishankar's first visit to China since 2020 military standoff along the LAC in eastern Ladakh. In the last few months, India and China have initiated a number of measures to repair the bilateral ties after completing the disengagement of troops from the last of the two face-off sites in October last year. Earlier this month, the Dalai Lama asserted that a trust of Tibetan Buddhists will have the sole authority to recognise his future reincarnation. China reacted angrily to the remarks by the Dalai Lama. In a social media post on Sunday, Chinese embassy spokesperson Yu Jing said that members of the strategic and academic communities, including former officials, had made 'improper remarks' regarding the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama 'contrary' to Indian government's public stance.