Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday asserted that Pakistan's nuclear programme was "safe", "completely foolproof" and "jealously guarded" by the state, amid concerns by the international community about its safety in the debt-ridden country. In a statement, the Prime Minister's Office noted that press releases, queries and various assertions regarding Pakistan's nuclear and missile programme were being circulated on social and print media.
It said that even a "traditional routine visit" of International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi was portrayed in a "negative spotlight". "It is emphasised that Pakistan's nuclear and missile programme is a national asset, which is jealously guarded by the state. The complete programme is totally secure, foolproof and under no stress or pressure whatsoever," the statement said. "It continues to fully serve the purpose for which this capability was developed," it added.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar earlier assured Parliament that the government would not make any compromise on the country's nuclear and missile programme despite tough economic conditions and hurdles to secure a loan from the IMF. Pakistan's economy is in dire straits. The country is awaiting a much-needed USD 1.1 billion tranche of funding from the Washington-based International Monetary Fund (IMF).
In October, US President Joe Biden raised doubts over Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, calling it “one of the most dangerous nations in the world” as it has “nuclear weapons without cohesion”. Biden's remarks, made at a Democratic Party congressional campaign committee reception, were rejected by Prime Minister Sharif as "factually incorrect and misleading"
