ISLAMABAD, Nov 12: Pakistan on Monday categorically rejected speculations about safety of its strategic nuclear assets and said the assets were safe and under a strong multi-layered, institutionalised decision-making mechanism.

“Our strategic assets are as safe as those of any other nuclear-weapon state,” Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Sadiq said at weekly media briefing.

Commenting on reports published in various US newspapers, he said the highest level of institutionalised protection was accorded to Pakistan’s strategic assets to ensure their safety and security.

The spokesman said: “Such reports appear off and on and regardless of their motives, Pakistan emphatically rejects them.”

“They (nuclear assets) are under strong multi-layered, institutionalised decision-making, organisational, administrative and command and control structures since 1998.”

He said Pakistan had formally instituted an elaborate Nuclear Command and Control mechanism in February 2000, comprising the National Command Authority (NCA), Strategic Plans Division (SPD) and Strategic Forces.

“This fool-proof mechanism is fully effective,” said the spokesman.

The spokesman said: “Suffice it to say that Pakistan possesses adequate retaliatory capacity to defend its strategic assets and sovereignty.”

Answering a question about the possibility of seeking US help and cooperation, the spokesman said Pakistan always looked to adapt best practices to protect its assets and improve its efficiency.

The spokesman said it was impossible for terrorists living in mountains to know where Pakistan’s nuclear assets had been kept when even world organisations did not know anything about their whereabouts.

He said such news reports were sponsored by elements who were against Pakistan’s nuclear programme.

Highlighting the importance of the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project, he said Pakistan and Iran were holding technical talks and progress had been made. Mr Sadiq said the talks were being held without India’s participation.

Replying to a question, the spokesman said domestic issues could not destabilise border security, adding that the country’s western and eastern borders were well protected.—APP