ISLAMABAD, Dec 15: Pakistan’s nuclear assets are safe and out of terrorists’ reach, President Asif Ali Zardari told US Senator John Kerry on Monday.
He is also reported to have assured the Senator, who had arrived here after a visit to India, that no one would be allowed to use Pakistani soil for terrorist activities against any other country.
The president accused India of levelling baseless allegations against Pakistan, without providing evidence.
Pakistan, he said, had already offered to cooperate with India to investigate the Mumbai terror attacks, but it had not yet responded.
“India is not providing any evidence against people allegedly involved in the attacks,” he added.
President Zardari said that Pakistan’s nuclear assets were in safe hands and well-protected and there was no possibility of their falling into the hands of terrorists.
According to sources, the president also apprised Senator Kerry about two intrusions by Indian Air Force planes into Pakistan territory.
The Senator said he did not believe that the Inter-Services Intelligence or the government of Pakistan were involved in the Mumbai attacks, but that Pakistan should take tough action against ‘non-state actors’ and cooperate with India in investigating the attacks.
He said terrorist organisations like Lashkar-e-Taiba were also a constant threat for Pakistan.
Conveying a message from US President-elect Barack Obama, Mr Kerry said the US government would help Pakistan in combating terrorism.
According to the APP, he praised the role of Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and said he was aware of what needed to be done and so was the Director-General of ISI, Lt-Gen Shuja Pasha.
He said the government had evolved a good strategy to combat Taliban in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and the NWFP, and the military had done a good job in the anti-terror war.
He said: “We hope they continue to remain more active in western parts of Pakistan and with Gen Kayani there, I think we are building a strong foundation.” Acknowledging the democratic nature of Pakistan’s government, he said: “I was there as an observer and I know it was a truly democratic election... So, we have to help them. They understand that this insurgency is also a threat to them,” he adeed.
Agencies add: Earlier in New Delhi, Mr Kerry said after meeting Indian leaders that the ISI must be tightly controlled and not be allowed to act independently.
“It is imperative that the intelligence service of Pakistan not be able to make its own choices or operate outside of the standards that we have a right to expect.”
