Reassurance: 2,500-strong force guards nuclear assets, says Ishaq Dar

Finance minister says safeguard measures prepared according to international standards.

ISLAMABAD:

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said on Saturday that Pakistan’s atomic assets were safe and the responsibility of guarding the assets was assigned to a highly trained 2,500-strong force equipped with modern weapons.

Speaking in the National Assembly, the finance minister said the programme was being thoroughly guarded by the Special Response Force, Special Escort Force, Marine Force, Counter Intelligence Teams and Personnel Reliability Programmes.

Dar informed the lower house of Parliament that in 1999, the programme was divided in different parts, but it now has a unified National Command Authority headed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the Special Projects Division acts as a liaison among various programmes.

Speaking about the measures taken for the security of strategic assets of the country, the finance minister said Pakistan’s programme for security of strategic assets was prepared with a great sense of responsibility and its defence measures were up to the prescribed international standards.

He said the programme is protected by the Strategic Forces Command working under a strict regulatory regime relating to nuclear safety, including protection of material and facilities, fissile material control and accounting, steps against illegal trafficking and border controls.

The finance minister said the programme had an export control regime of international standards set up by the Nuclear Suppliers Group, Missile Technology Control Regime and Australia Group.

He noted with disappointment that certain quarters were casting suspicions over the security of Pakistan’s sensitive installations after the recent wave of violence in Balochistan and other areas.

“We need to control our emotions on the matters of national security. It is a matter of life and death for us. On national security, we would have to voluntarily draw certain red lines which should never be violated.”

Explaining the security mechanism, Dar said Pakistan was a responsible state and told the house that the government was always vigilant to the task of securing the country’s sensitive assets which were obtained after great sacrifice. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 23^rd, 2013.