The United States said on Thursday it was confident of the safety of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal after heavily armed militants stormed an air force base in clashes that left 10 people dead.
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland offered condolences over the attack claimed by the Taliban. She said the United States had no reason to doubt Pa
“We would also commend Pakistani security forces for their efforts in repelling the attack,” said the Commander.
Reports in the press had indicated that the PAF base in Kamra is home to Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.
Responding to a question on the safety of Pakistan’s nuclear assets, Commander Speaks said, “We obviously work closely on a regular basis with our Pakistani counterparts to discuss the safety of their nuclear program, and it’s our sense that the Pakistani government maintains good security around their nuclear arsenal. We have no indication that this particular attack endangered Pakistani nuclear assets.”
Earlier on Thursday, Pakistan rejected US concerns that its nuclear assets may fall into the wrong hands, insisting the country’s strategic assets were safe and sound.
During the Foreign Ministry weekly press briefing, spokesperson Moazzam Ali Khan said, “Pakistan’s strategic assets are safe and sound and we have a robust command and control in place, so nobody should worry about the safety and security of our nuclear assets.”
The statements were in reaction to recent remarks made by US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who feared that Pakistan’s nuclear assets were in danger of falling into the hands of terrorists if terrorism was not controlled in the country.
Article Source:
The Express Tribune
http://tribune.com.pk/story/423242/us-confident-of-pakistan-nuclear-security/
