Army’s top leadership reposes full confidence in Pakistan’s robust security of nuclear, strategic assets

By Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD: The top military leadership on Tuesday reposed full confidence in the country’s nuclear command and control structure and the security of its strategic nuclear arms.

“(The) Forum reposed full confidence in Pakistan’s robust nuclear command and control structure and security arrangements related to country’s strategic assets, an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement, issued after 252nd Corps Commanders’ Conference, said

Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa presided the conference.

“As a responsible nuclear weapon state, Pakistan has taken all measures necessary to strengthen its nuclear security regime, at par with international best practices,” forum was informed.

The military’s statement followed a US President Joe Biden off the cuff remarks that Pakistan “may be one of the most dangerous” countries in the world which had “nuclear weapons without any cohesion”.

Speaking in the context of China and his relationship with President Xi Jinping, Biden, speaking at a reception of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee on Thursday, said, “This is a guy [Xi Jinping] who understands what he wants but has an enormous, enormous array of problems. How do we handle that? How do we handle that relative to what’s going on in Russia? And what I think is maybe one of the most dangerous nations in the world: Pakistan. Nuclear weapons without any cohesion.”

Later Pakistan summoned US Ambassador Donald Blome to lodge a protest. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif tweeted that Pakistan was a “responsible nuclear state” and that it takes safety measures “with the utmost seriousness.” The United States also on Monday said that it had confidence in Pakistan’s ability to control its nuclear arsenal.

The ISPR statement said the military leadership also “took a comprehensive review of prevailing internal and external security situation and operational preparedness of the army”.

“While expressing satisfaction over operational preparedness of the formations, COAS reiterated Pakistan Army’s resolve to defend the motherland against all threats.”

The forum was apprised on army’s assistance to civil administration for relief and rehabilitation efforts in flood affected areas and post flood situation particularly in Sindh and Balochistan, the statement added.

“The COAS lauded formations’ operational readiness and sustained efforts during flood relief duties.”