Shehbaz Sharif rejects nuclear threats as India tensions rise; counters officials warning of ‘full Spectrum’ response

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has dismissed any suggestion that his country considered using nuclear weapons during its latest confrontation with India, insisting the nuclear arsenal is intended solely for “peaceful purposes and national defence.” Speaking to a gathering of Pakistani students on Saturday, Sharif sought to downplay fears of escalation, even as the memory of military exchanges remains fresh.

Recalling the four-day standoff that followed the deadly April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 civilians, Sharif acknowledged that 55 Pakistanis had died during India’s retaliatory Operation Sindoor. He nonetheless stressed Pakistan’s military had responded forcefully but within conventional bounds.

“Pakistan’s nuclear programme exists to defend the nation and to deter aggression, not to pursue it,” he told students.

Earlier threats of ‘full spectrum of power’

Sharif’s remarks stood in stark contrast to statements made just weeks earlier by senior Pakistani officials, who had openly warned of nuclear retaliation if India struck. In May, Pakistan’s ambassador to Russia, Muhammad Khalid Jamali, told Russian broadcaster RT that Islamabad would not hesitate to unleash “the full spectrum of power, including nuclear,” if India attempted to attack or disrupt Pakistan’s water resources.

“Any move to seize or divert our water would be considered an act of war,” Jamali warned, signalling that nuclear options were actively under consideration.

These comments, widely reported internationally, heightened concerns that the South Asian rivals were inching closer to a nuclear flashpoint.

India’s Retaliation: Operation Sindoor

India’s military campaign, Operation Sindoor, was launched in early May in direct response to the Pahalgam attack, which Indian intelligence blamed on Pakistan-based terror outfits including Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. Over the course of several days, Indian forces conducted what officials described as “pre-emptive precision strikes,” hitting nine sites linked to terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. According to Indian security agencies, the strikes eliminated more than 100 militants.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined that India would not be cowed by threats of nuclear escalation. “India will not tolerate nuclear blackmail while countering terrorism,” he declared on May 13.

General Anil Chauhan, India’s Chief of Defence Staff, echoed this position. Speaking at a think tank event in New Delhi, he said: “Nuclear deterrence is no justification for cross-border terrorism. Operation Sindoor shows that India is willing to act decisively against it.”

China’s role in Pakistan’s defence capabilities

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s growing reliance on China as its primary defence partner continues to draw scrutiny. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Islamabad has purchased $8.2 billion worth of Chinese arms since 2015. Between 2020 and 2024 alone, Pakistan accounted for 63% of Beijing’s total arms exports, the largest share going to any country.

Sharif’s attempt to present a more restrained nuclear posture highlights the delicate balance Islamabad must maintain—signalling strength domestically while avoiding further escalation with India.