GUJRAT, Dec 25: Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar has defended President Asif Ali Zardari’s statement that Pakistan will not be the first country to use its nuclear weapons if war is waged.

Talking to Dawn here on Thursday, he said the statement made by the president was in the country’s interest as most of the people were not aware of the adversity of the nuclear weapons which were a deterrent for both Pakistan and India.

Answering a question that Admiral Mike Mullen had advised Pakistan to stay calm in case the Indians make surgical strikes in Pakistan, he said that no one could dictate the country how to defend its frontiers and sovereignty and no one could stop the country from response if such a situation came.

He said the president, the prime minister and the foreign minister had diminished the threats of war because of the friends of Pakistan in the world community. Commenting on the Confidence Building Measures with New Delhi, Mr Mukhtar said the government would review them (CBMs) once the findings of the Mumbai attacks were made public.

On the Kashmir issue, he said that Islamabad wanted the Kashmiri people to decide which side they would like to join.

Regarding Wednesday’s unanimous resolution approved in the National Assembly, the defence minister said that it reflected that there was no split in the political parties which were united for the national cause, security and sovereignty.

He said the government had curtailed the POL prices more than 25 per cent and it was the obligation of the provincial government to ensure the transfer of benefits to consumers.

Terming the power loadshedding an old issue, he said the government had taken urgent steps to overcome it besides ensuring to produce more electricity.

When he was asked whether Prime Minster Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani was being changed and that he (Mr Mukhtar) was being tipped as the next premier, the defence minister said: “No these are only the rumors.”