Musharraf's statement on nuking India absurd: Fernandes

Defence Minister George Fernandes on Thursday termed as ''absurd'' the statement of Pakistan President Prevez Musharraf that he would have responded with a nuclear attack if New Delhi had launched strikes into Pakistani
territory.

''Yeh bakwas hai'' (it is absurd), was Fernandes's cyptic comment when reporters in Patna sought his reaction to Musharraf's statement. Fernandes was talking to reporters at the Jayaprakash Narayan international airport in Patna.

Musharraf, while addressing Pakistan airforce veterans, had said he was prepared to launch a nuclear attack on India in the event of Indian forces breaching the borders.

Fernandes recalled that Musharraf had retracted a similar statement made earlier following international condemnation.