US President had offered USD 5 billion not to conduct nuclear tests

Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s claim

Lahore (Pakistan) – Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has claimed that he was offered bribe of USD 5 blllion by then US President Bill Clinton not to conduct nuclear tests. Despite this, he gave a “befitting reply” to India’s nuclear tests by conducting nuclear tests in 1998. He was addressing a rally after returning to Pakistan from Britain after 4 years. About this test, Nawaz Sharif had earlier said that, “if India had not conducted the nuclear test, we would not have done it either. We faced public pressure due to India’s nuclear test. So, we also conducted our first nuclear test”.

Nawaz Sharif went on to say that, “I told Clinton, I was born in the land of Pakistan and it did not give me permission to accept what is against Pakistan’s interests. Tell me, if someone else would have been in my place, (you know who), would he have said this in front of the US President ?”

About solving the Kashmir issue, Nawaz Sharif said, “We will have to stand on our feet, strengthen our community and end poverty in Pakistan. We need an independent and comprehensive foreign policy. We will have to improve our relations with our neighbours”.

Editorial Perspectives

It is worth noting that upon Nawaz Sharif’s return to Pakistan from a 4-year stay in Britain, he appears to be making these statements in an effort to improve his public image.