India getting help to purse N-prog,fumes Pak

Though Basit did not name the world powers concerned,he was apparently referring to the civil nuclear deal concluded with India by the US.

Pakistan has for long insisted that it should be given a similar deal by Western powers.

Pakistan will take “every legitimate step to protect its security interests” and will not “compromise on maintaining a credible minimum nuclear deterrent”,Basit told a weekly news briefing.

He was responding to a question on the possible implications of defence and nuclear deals concluded during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s recent visit to Russia.

Basit said Pakistan has a “legitimate interest in ensuring that the strategic balance in South Asia is maintained under all circumstances”.

“This is all the more necessary due to jingoistic statements from New Delhi about waging limited wars based on the dangerously naive cold start strategy.”