Leader: Pakistan won't be first in nuclear strike

Pakistan's nuclear doctrine, unlike India's, does not contain a clause saying the country will not use its weapons first in conflict.

It was not clear if President Asif Ali Zardari's comments, made Saturday during a video conference question-and-answer session organized by The Hindustan Times newspaper of India, represented a formal change in policy.

Asked by a student whether Pakistan was prepared to say it would not use a nuclear weapon first, Zardari said: "Most defiantly, I am against nuclear warfare altogether," he said.

The moderator then asked the question again, pointing out to Zardari that his earlier answer was a "headline." Zardari again replied, "Definitely."

Zardari proposed the idea of a nuclear-free South Asia, saying he could persuade lawmakers to support such a plan, the reports said.

"I am sure I can get my parliament to agree with that, straight on. Can you say the same?" he asked those in attendance, which including government and business leaders.

He gave no more details on the idea, which Pakistan--six times smaller than India--has proposed before.

Predominantly Hindu India and Muslim Pakistan have fought three wars since they were created in the bloody partition of the Indian subcontinent at independence from Britain in 1947.

The stakes got much higher after both tested nuclear weapons in 1998.