An advisor to the National Command Authority, Lt. Gen. (retd.) Mazhar Jamil, has cautioned that India’s growingly assertive strategic weapon programs may present a danger to Western nations along with its neighbors in the region. This statement came during a conference organized by the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS), located in Islamabad, marking the occasion of Youm-e-Takbeer 2026. General Jamil, who previously served as the director general of the Strategic Plans Division and currently acts as an advisor to the National Command Authority, stated that India's progress in developing long-range missiles indicates aspirations surpassing those within South Asia. "The direction of India's strategic force initiatives, particularly its intercontinental missile capabilities, isn’t exclusively aimed at Pakistan or China," General Jamil noted. "Rather, these efforts aim to position India as a globally recognized nuclear power able to threaten key Western cities." He encouraged Western governments to pay attention to India's ongoing military upgrades. “The US and its European allies must recognize that the strategic challenges posed by India over the next ten years represent risks they've opted to overlook—potentially endangering themselves,” he added. This event, named ‘Pakistan's Nuclear Weapons Programme – Guardian of Peace and Stability in South Asia,’ attracted participation from researchers, educators, and specialists in strategic matters. When discussing regional security concerns, General Jamil mentioned that Pakistan's self-restraint during the May 2025 clash with India represented "a conscious decision" and warned that further Indian military actions would provoke a "firm and thorough" reaction. "India would face costs significantly greater than whatever political or military gain it might expect." General Jamil suggested that India's strategy is progressively influenced by Hindu nationalist ideologies and emphasized the importance of comprehending Indian strategic traditions. He claimed that both the so-called Doval Doctrine and aspects of Kautilyan governance share similar goals: maintaining adjacent states as 'weakened, divided, and reliant.' In his introductory comments, Ambassador Ali Sarwar Naqvi, executive director of CISS, highlighted how Pakistan's nuclear capacity has supported deterrent equilibrium in South Asia and avoided extensive warfare. “Pakistan’s nuclear strength has deeply impacted the strategic environment across South Asia,” remarked Naqvi. “It has fostered stable deterrence, forestalled widespread conflicts, and established circumstances where disputes can be handled without intensifying into total wars.” Dr. Ansar Parvez, ex-chairman of Pakistan's Atomic Energy Commission, spoke about the contributions made by local scientists towards the nation's atomic weaponry initiative, noting that Pakistan carried out its nuclear trials amidst significant external pressures and observation. Brigadier (Retd.) Dr. Zahir-ul-Haider Kazmi, serving as an advisory figure regarding armaments regulation at Pakistan's Strategic Planning Department, pointed out that Pakistan's armed reactions throughout Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos illustrated the effectiveness of its defensive stance and its skill in managing tensions beneath the level of nuclear engagement.
In the meantime, Professor Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, Vice Chancellor of Quaid-i-Azam University, stated that India has grown more diplomatically isolated after the Pahalgam incident and claimed that New Delhi is implementing a policy of "defensive offense" using secret and mixed methods.
Director of CISS Research, Dr. Bilal Zubair, stated that Pakistan's choice to build nuclear weapons stemmed from security issues related to India's atomic program. He mentioned that Pakistan's nuclear strength was eventually established to protect the nation's independence and overall safety.
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