Islamabad, May 10, 2025: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday denied reports that a meeting of the National Command Authority (NCA),Pakistan’s top civil-military body overseeing its nuclear arsenal, had been convened following the country’s military operation against India earlier in the day.
“No meeting has happened of the National Command Authority, nor is any such meeting scheduled,” Asif said in an interview with a private news channel, refuting earlier claims circulating in local media.
State-run Pakistan Television News (PTV News) had earlier reported that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had called for an NCA meeting in the wake of Pakistan’s military response to Indian strikes on its territory. The NCA, established in February 2000 by the National Security Council, is responsible for Pakistan’s strategic policies related to nuclear and missile systems.
The denial comes amid heightened tensions between the two South Asian rivals, as Islamabad launched Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos, targeting Indian military installations in response to what it termed “unprovoked Indian aggression.”
The Defence Minister’s clarification appears aimed at quelling speculation that the current crisis could escalate into a nuclear standoff, a concern that has drawn urgent international attention.
