ISLAMABAD, Nov 1: Pakistan on Thursday reassured the international community that its nuclear assets were under foolproof custodial controls, and brushed aside apprehensions about these falling into the hands of extremists.

“Dedicated formations of specially equipped forces have been deployed for ensuring the security of Pakistan nuclear installations and assets,” Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar said in a statement read out at the daily briefing of the Foreign Office.

To the surprise of local and foreign correspondents, Mr Sattar came down to the briefing hall to make the statement.

Foreign governments, he said, were aware of the security and protection of Pakistan’s nuclear assets but some analyst were expressing fears, which, he added, were unfounded.

“In order to reassure the world community that Pakistan’s strategic assets are under foolproof custodial controls, it is necessary to respond to concerns expressed in some foreign journals,” Mr Sattar said.

Pakistan, he said, had an impeccable record of custodial safety and security free of any incident of theft or leakage of nuclear material, equipment or technology.

“The credit goes to the armed forces which are guardians of Pakistan’s strategic assets,” he said. Similarly, the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission has an unblemished record of safety and security of the nuclear power plants and other civilian projects which are under safeguards, and subject to periodic inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

He said the government had constantly maintained, developed and upgraded command and control systems and custodial security procedures. It had invested requisite financial and personnel resources in order to devise and apply ironclad measures to deal with all contingencies of threat to strategic assets, he added.

“Safe custody in storage is ensured by dedicated formations of specially equipped forces,” he said. A strategic force command has been established for each of three armed services. Clear chains or responsibility have been prescribed and enforced to ensure that strategic weapons cannot be deployed without due authorization. Stringent measures have been enforced to minimize risks of accidental, unintentional or unauthorized launch.

Mr Sattar recalled that the government had established the strategic plans division as secretariat for the country’s strategic programme. Under the direct command of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the armed forces, it developed and devised policies and procedures to ensure custodial security and command and control, and oversee their implementation. Its recommendations are considered and approved by the National Command Authority, which is headed by the president.

He said the armed forces of Pakistan are known for their professionalism, discipline and institutional strength. Any apprehension that the assets might fall into the hands of extremists was entirely imaginary, perhaps a product of distortions caused by TV images magnifying the sights and sounds of protesters.

“Demonstrations signifying compassion for innocent victims of stray bombs have been larger in Pakistan because of deep feelings of sympathy with the Afghan people with whom we share affinities of geography, history and culture. It is illogical to interpret such a natural reaction as danger to the stability of the state or the government,” he said.

The minister disclosed that US Secretary of State Colin Powell had offered training for Pakistani experts for security and protection of nuclear assets, which, he said, had been accepted. He explained that Pakistani experts would be apprised of the security measures being applied by the United States.