Pakistan rejects US assertions of modernising nuke arsenals

Islamabad, Jun 30 : A senior Pakistan Foreign Ministry official today rejected as ''totally baseless'' the US assertions that it is helping modernising Pakistan’s nuclear arsenals.

''Pakistan’s command and control systems are completely indigenous and we have never sought the advice of any US expert in this regard,'' Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Basit said in a statement here.

He said Pakistan is fully capable of looking after the safety and security of its strategic assets itself.

Rejecting the insinuations, the spokesman said there is no truth whatsoever that any US money has been diverted towards Pakistan’s nuclear programme.

Mr Basit said such ''unwarranted and unfounded'' assertions that keep appearing from time to time are clearly ''mala fide'', desperately trying to raise apprehensions about the safety and security, of Pakistan’s nuclear programme.

The spokesman underlined that such efforts are bound to fail as the government and the people of Pakistan are resolved to protect the sanctity of their nuclear programme under all circumstances.

UNI