ISLAMABAD: Pakistan hit back at US President Joe Biden for raising doubts over the country’s nuclear security as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Saturday handed a demarche to US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome.
The ministry informed the envoy of Pakistan’s stance, according to media reports, adding that Ambassador Blome has also been asked to seek an explanation from the US president for his statement.
The US ambassador has also been informed that Pakistan’s atomic assets are safe, the foreign office said.
In a separate statement issued by the PM House, Premier Shehbaz termed the US president’s remarks as ‘factually incorrect and misleading’.
“Over the past decades, Pakistan has proven be a most responsible nuclear state, wherein its nuclear program is managed through a technically sound and foolproof command and control system.” PM said.
Let me reiterate unequivocally: Pakistan is a responsible nuclear state and we are proud that our nuclear assets have the best safeguards as per IAEA requirements. We take these safety measures with the utmost seriousness. Let no one have any doubts.
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) October 15, 2022
Moreover, in a tweet from his official handle on Saturday, PM ‘unequivocally reiterated’ that Pakistan is a responsible nuclear state and added that country’s nuclear assets have the best safeguards as per International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) requirements.
“We take these safety measures with the utmost seriousness. Let no one have any doubts,” he added.
Former Prime Minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan, in response to the remarks, held the incumbent rulers responsible, saying it shows the total failure of the “imported government’s” foreign policy.
Terming the US president’s comments as an “unwarranted conclusion” of Pakistan’s nuclear program, the former premier asked about the information Biden got to make such a statement on the country’s capability, and added: “having been PM, I know we have one of the most secure nuclear command & control systems”.
“Unlike the US which has been involved in wars across the world, when has Pakistan shown aggression esp post-nuclearisation?” he further asked. “Is this the ‘reset’?”
across the world, when has Pakistan shown aggression esp post-nuclearisation? Equally imp,this
Biden statement shows total failure of Imported govt’s foreign policy & its claims of “reset of relations with US”? Is this the “reset”?This govt has broken all records for incompetence— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) October 15, 2022
Earlier, President Biden had said that Pakistan may be “one of the most dangerous nations in the world” as the country has “nuclear weapons without any cohesion”.
“And what I think is maybe one of the most dangerous nations in the world: Pakistan. Nuclear weapons without any cohesion,” Biden was quoted as saying in a transcript of the address, published on the White House’s website.
