Indian fears on Pak nuke plans groundless: Pak

Islamabad: Reiterating Pakistan's commitment to maintain nuclear deterrence, President Pervez Musharraf on Saturday dismissed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's concerns on his country's nuclear programme.

"The government is taking all necessary safeguards to maintain nuclear deterrence capability and no one has the right to speculate about effectiveness and reliability of our command and control structures," he said while chairing a review meeting of the National Command Authority (NCA) in Rawalpindi today.

The NCA is the apex decision making body in Pakistan's command and control structure, which held its meeting against the backdrop of Prime Minister Singh's recent statement.

The Indian Prime Minister had told CNN during his recent US visit that he was worried about the security of Pakistan's nuclear arsenals, which could fall into the hands of jehadi elements.

'N-deterrence fully operational'

The President said Pakistan's command and control predates those in its neighbourhood and were far more efficient, scientific and transparent.

He said Pakistan's nuclear deterrence was fully operational and continues to consolidate and strengthen with time.

The meeting, also attended by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, armed forces chiefs and a few federal ministers, took stock of recent India-US nuclear and defence framework agreement and decided on appropriate measures.

Pakistani officials believe that the pact would disturb arms balance in the region.

"It is not Pakistan's policy to engage in an arms race, but it will not close its eyes to induction of advanced weaponry in its neighbourhood," the President declared.

Addressing the participants, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said the government had identified nuclear energy as one of the attractive and alternative sources.

"We will engage with the international community to enhance our peaceful civilian nuclear programme," the Prime Minister said.