ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) on Wednesday said that Pakistan follows the best practices and standards set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to safeguard its nuclear assets.

The FO said the country has an impeccable record of safely operating nuclear power plants for over 40 years.

Commenting on the recent The New York Times story captioned “Afghanistan Exit is seen as Peril to CIA Drone Mission,” written by David Sanger and Eric Schmitt, FO Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam expressed regret at a cliched theme, conjuring up baseless scenarios.

She said the timing of this story, purportedly based on briefings by anonymous US officials, is rather intriguing, coming as it did on the eve of the ministerial level review of the strategic dialogue between Pakistan and the United States in Washington.

The spokesperson said the contents and drift of the story contradict the expression of desire by senior members of the US administration to develop an enduring partnership with Pakistan on the basis of mutual trust and respect.

She said such reporting is also at variance with the confidence expressed by US leaders and officials in the safety and security of Pakistan's nuclear weapons.

The spokesperson underscored the fact that Pakistan has both the will and the capacity to thwart all threats to its nuclear assets.