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ISLAMABAD, Feb 7: The foreign office on Saturday said that as a sovereign country Pakistan would itself take all nuclear proliferation-related decisions. Foreign office spokesman Masood Khan told TV channels that the country was already cooperating with the international community.
"Mindful of our international responsibilities and obligations, we are fully abiding by international non-proliferation standards," he said. "We will continue to work with concerned states and international organizations, especially IAEA, to put a stop to proliferation".
"We are ready to share information and results of our investigations inasmuch as they assist in achieving this objective," he said.
He maintained that it was in this context that "we have conducted our recent investigations. This is in line with our vital national interests and our strong commitment to make our strategic assets secure and impregnable. Our nuclear capability is for our defence".
He said these investigations were not over as seven individuals were still being questioned.
Pakistan is a responsible country and the whole world has appreciated Islamabad on initiating investigations, he said.
The spokesman said international black market posed a danger to the whole world and collective efforts were needed to eradicate the proliferation menace.
He said strict security restrictions were imposed on Dr A.Q. Khan and his associates and added that those investigated would not be allowed to resume their illegal activities. They would also not resume their duties, he said.
Dr Khan, he pointed out, had been given a conditional pardon because he had helped in these investigations and he would continue to cooperate.
Security restrictions, he said, would continue to apply to him. The small ring of individuals had been broken definitively. "We will not permit any individual or individuals to endanger safety and security of our nuclear programme," he said.
KASURI ON ROLLBACK: Talking to TV channels separately, Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri said Pakistan would not roll back its nuclear programme.
Pakistan acted with responsibility on the issue and did not hide anything in the process, he pointed out.
The minister said investigations were started as soon as information in this regard was received from the International Atomic Energy Agency. "Even some people in the country were of the view that this matter should not have been played up so much," he added.
"As member of the Board of Governors of the IAEA, we will cooperate in providing all the information that comes our way," he said.
Mr Kasuri said IAEA was not an investigation agency. "It is concerned with the issue because of Iran and Libya. They (the IAEA) would like to find out whether the information given to them is accurate or not."
He said Pakistan could demonstrate its capabilities and added "we are a sovereign nation. We are one of the seven declared nuclear weapon states. We have a missile capability which is one of the six best in the world.-APP
