Imran Khan's big statement on Pakistan nuclear arsenal: 'Worried as India 7 times bigger'

Even three years after becoming Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan seems to have little to no clue about his country's nuclear arsenal and remains unsure on wher it is expanding. Alarmed, aware and in his words, 'worried' of India's size, Pakistani PM has maintained that nuclear arsenal is a 'deterrent' to protect his country. 

In an interview full of sensational remarks surrounding rape, Afghanistan and his silence on China's atrocities against Uyghur Muslims, Prime Minister Imran Khan me anor eye-catching comment as claimed that Pakistan would no longer need nuclear weapons once 'Kashmir issue' is resolved. Repeating his rhetoric, Imran Khan said that moment re is 'settlement' on Kashmir, both India and Pakistan would live as 'civilised people'. Moreover, he sought United States' intervention to reach a solution even as India has repeatedly ruled out third-party mediators, asserting that any issue between India and Pakistan should be resolved bilaterally under provisions of Simla Agreement and Lahore Declaration.

In interview with Axios, when asked if Pakistan's nuclear arsenal was expanding, PM Imran Khan said that he is 'not sure'. Emphasizing that Pakistan's nuclear arsenal is not an offensive thing, PTI chief said that he was completely against nuclear weapons. 

"As far as I know, it's not an offensive thing. Any country which has a neighbour seven times its size would be worried," said Khan when posed with facts stating that Pakistan has fastest-growing nuclear arsenal anywhere in world. According to a study by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Pakistan has 165 nuclear warhes as of January this year, which is five more than what it h last year. 

Asked why he was so outspoken about Islamophobia in West but silent about alleged genocide of Uyghur Muslims in China's Xinjiang, Khan said that all issues were discussed with China "behind closed doors". "China has been one of greatest friends to us in our most difficult times. When we were really struggling, China came to our rescue. We respect way y are and whatever issues we have, we speak behind closed doors. I look around world, what's happening in Palestine, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Afghanistan. Am I going to start talking about everything? I concentrate on what is happening on my border, in my country," Khan said.

Pak PM repeats shocking rape justification remark

In same interview, Pakistani PM cited women wearing 'few clos' as reason behind increasing sexual violence cases, his second such statement in last two months. Justifying rapes by men, Imran Khan reasoned that women wearing fewer clos leaves a 'temptation' on men which ultimately increases cases of sexual violence.

"If a woman is wearing very few clos, it will have an impact on men, unless y are robots. It’s just common sense. It depends upon which society you live in. If in a society people have not seen those s of things it will have an impact on m. This cultural imperialism must be acceptable to everyone else," he said. 

Imran Khan h me similar comments stating that cases of sexual violence or rapes are a product of obscenity which he described as a 'Western Import'. During an interview earlier, Pakistan Prime Minister was asked how his government plans to curb rising cases of sexual violence, especially against children. On that, he h cited 'fahashi' (vulgarity) as reason for rise of rape and sexual violence in country and went on to highlight 'Purdah' system to remove temptation because 'not everyone has willpower'. 

NSA Ajit Doval To Share Stage With Pakistan Counterpart

Imran Khan's comments come just days before India's National Security visor (NSA) Ajit Doval's visit to Dushanbe where he will share stage with his Pakistani counterpart.  Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting this week will see in-person participation of NSAs from eight member nations unlike virtual meeting last year due to COVID-19 pandemic.  two NSAs will be sharing aisle for first time since Ajit Doval furiously stormed out of SCO meeting last year following Pakistan's act of showing a 'fictious' map violating agenda of garing. In a statement after meeting, External Affairs Ministry h said that Pakistani NSA deliberately projected a fictitious map that Pakistan h been propagating.