News
Friday, July 15, 2011
Any threat to nukes will be thwarted with full force: PM
* NCA expresses satisfaction in operational readiness of country’s strategic weapons
* Resolves to take appropriate measures to ensure country’s security
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: The National Command Authority (NCA), on Thursday, underlined that the government and the people of Pakistan stood solidly behind the country’s nuclear and missile programmes, which would be pursued to maintain effective, reliable and credible deterrence capability, and all attempts to undermine this capability would be thwarted with full force. NCA, which met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, comprehensively reviewed developments in the regional and global security environment.
Federal ministers, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee chairman, services chiefs, NCA secretary, Strategic Planning Division (SPD) DG, and other senior officials attended the meeting. The NCA also had a detailed appraisal of international and regional trends, policies and their implications for Pakistan.
The NCA, after in-depth consideration and evaluation, expressed confidence in the operational readiness of Pakistan’s strategic weapons.
NCA decided that Pakistan would continue the policy of credible minimum deterrence as a responsible nuclear state by expressing satisfaction in the security, safety and security of the country’s strategic programmes and facilities.
It expressed concern over the continued pursuit of policies that detract from globally shared norms and rules of equality, inclusiveness and objectivity, and cautioned that such policies represented regression in the non-proliferation regime and tended to erode strategic balance in South Asia.
“Pakistan will continue to take appropriate counter measures to ensure its security and maintain regional stability,” it resolved.
The Authority reiterated Pakistan’s desire to constructively contribute to the realisation of a world free of nuclear weapons and to the goals of non-proliferation on the basis of equality and partnership with the international community.
It reaffirmed the importance of nuclear safety and noted with satisfaction the safety review of all the existing and planned civil nuclear facilities by Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA).
The NCA directed the PNRA and the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) to continue to ensure that “Our programmes conform to the highest levels of safety and best practices.”
The Authority was also briefed on the review of nuclear security undertaken recently.
It expressed confidence in the institutionalized Command and Control System and comprehensive measures put in place to ensure reliability and security of the strategic assets.
As part of energy security strategy, the NCA also reviewed and approved futuristic, self-sustaining Nuclear Power Programme – 2050 to meet the existing energy shortfalls and to respond to the future requirements of a growing population and economy.
The NCA emphasised the need to focus on socio-economic development of people as a foremost priority. It also approved Pakistan’s Space Programme – 2040 in order to bring the benefits of full spectrum of space technology to the people of Pakistan. In his opening remarks, Gilani said that recent incidents in Abbottabad and Mehran base had raised concerns over the safety and security of the country’s strategic assets. “Simultaneously, there has been a propaganda against Pakistan and its nuclear programme,” he added. He resolved that such baseless, and certainly motivated, campaign against Pakistan would neither deter “us from proceeding ahead sure-footed with our strategic programme nor succeed in undermining our national will. The strategic programme forms the core of our National Security paradigm,” he noted. He said that Armed Forces of the country, and in fact the whole nation took its responsibility for national defence as a sacred duty. “No one should ever underestimate our capability and resolve in this regard,” he warned.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk