Pakistan reiterates non-negotiable position on nuclear program

Pakistani Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali Thursday declared that Pakistan's nuclear program is non-negotiable and the government would continue to make necessary resources available for the qualitative development and advancement of the strategic program.

Talking to the scientists and engineers of Pakistan's premier nuclear facility, the Khan Research Laboratories, Jamali reiterated that the policy of Credible Minimum Deterrence had national consensus and it had stood the test of time and events over the past several years, the local news agency News Network International reported.

He said the government would continue to make necessary resources available for the qualitative development and advancement of the strategic program.

He strongly dismissed any misplaced apprehensions of roll back or freeze and asked the nation to develop confidence and maturity becoming a declared nuclear power.

Jamali said the international community had accepted the reality of a nuclear Pakistan.

At the same time, he stressed that Pakistan has acquired nuclear capability strictly for its own security and non-proliferation of nuclear technology is a declared national policy.

He said Pakistan extended full cooperation to the InternationalAtomic Energy Agency in its efforts to investigate international proliferation and would continue to do so within the bounds of national sovereignty and security.

Pakistan has moved swiftly to investigate the reports of past nuclear proliferation by certain individuals and is determined to root out the network completely, he said.

Source: Xinhua