Pakistan’s strategic assets secure: Army

RAWALPINDI/ WASHINGTON/ ISLAMABAD: Top military brass at the Corps Commanders Conference on Tuesday reposed full confidence in Pakistan’s robust nuclear command and control structure and security arrangements related to the country’s strategic assets.

The forum was informed that as a responsible nuclear weapons state, Pakistan has taken all measures necessary to strengthen its nuclear security regime at par with international best practices.

The 252nd Corps Commanders Conference was held at the GHQ with General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), in the chair. Participants took a comprehensive review of the prevailing internal and external security situation and operational preparedness of the army, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

The forum was informed about the army’s assistance to civil administration for relief and rehabilitation efforts in the flood-affected areas and post-flood situation, particularly in Sindh and Balochistan.

While expressing satisfaction over operational preparedness of the formations, the COAS reiterated the Pakistan Army’s resolve to defend the motherland against all threats. The COAS lauded the formations’ operational readiness and sustained efforts during flood relief duties.

Meanwhile, a State Department spokesperson, five days after President Joe Biden questioned the safety of Islamabad’s nuclear programme, said the United States was confident of Pakistan’s commitment and ability to secure the nuclear assets.

The statement came shortly after a meeting on Monday between Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Masood Khan and State Department Counselor Derek Chollet, who serves as a senior policy adviser to the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, according to a press release of the Pakistani embassy.

“The US has always viewed a secure and prosperous Pakistan as critical to its interests,” State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said while responding to a question at the daily news briefing. He said the two countries ‘enjoy a strong partnership’ and that the United States valued its longstanding cooperation with Pakistan’.

The spokesperson recalled the recent high-level visits on both sides, including the trip to the US by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and the visits of Counsellor Chollet and USAID Administrator Samantha Power to Pakistan. “This is a relationship we view as important and it’s something that we are really deeply engaged on,” the spokesperson added.

President Biden’s remarks about Pakistan nuclear programme, made at a Democratic Party congressional campaign committee reception on Thursday, were described by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as “factually incorrect and misleading”, and the Foreign Office summoned the US Ambassador in Pakistan Donald Blome for an explanation.

In his tweet after meeting with Ambassador Masood Khan, Counselor Chollet said he discussed with him US-Pakistan longstanding partnership and to “further grow our ties in so many areas including health, agriculture, education, entrepreneurship, energy & more for the benefit of our peoples & the region.”

Ambassador Masood Khan, in his tweet, thanked Counselor Chollet for his constructive role and stated that he had discussed with him ways to build further resilience in Pak-US relations and boost strategic trust between the two countries.

Masood Khan expressed confidence that through high-level visits, people-to-people exchanges and effective communication, bilateral relations would continue to be fortified. According to Online news agency, the federal cabinet on Tuesday rejected US President Joe Biden’s statement about Pakistan’s nuclear programme.

The cabinet clarified that the country’s nuclear programme was aimed at protecting national strategic objectives and maintaining balance of power in the region. The cabinet asserted that Pakistan is a responsible nuclear state whose nuclear programme works under a sound command and control system, adding it was secure according the standards of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

In order to reduce the line losses, the federal cabinet on Tuesday gave in principle approval to extend the project of installation of advanced meters in Islamabad to other parts of the country. The meters will also be installed on transformers.

The decision was taken during a meeting held in the federal capital with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the chair. On the recommendation of the Power Division, the cabinet also approved measures to promote the use of low-cost solar energy as an alternative to expensive imported fuel across the country.

Considering the average of seven percent line losses as unsatisfactory, the prime minister immediately called for a comprehensive plan to reduce them according to the rate of line losses prevailing at the international level.

The premier directed to prepare recommendations for reform measures in the electricity distribution companies (Discos), and for that purpose, a committee was established under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.

Shehbaz directed authorities concerned to prepare a list of corrupt officials in Discos and appoint honest and efficient officials on key positions. It was also decided that the federal government, in collaboration with provinces, will ensure the provision of wheat seeds to farmers of flood-affected areas. The provinces and the Centre will ensure the provision of funds with contribution of 50:50 percent.

In this regard, the ECC had approved a supplementary grant of Rs3.2 billion to the National Disaster Management Authority for procurement of wheat seed and distribution to the districts identified by the provinces.

The prime minister informed the cabinet about the details of his visit to Kazakhstan and his participation in international conferences, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the United Nations General Assembly and recently the CICA summit.

After discussing agricultural commodities, gas, rail, road, infrastructure and connectivity and energy corridors in these meetings, it was decided that Pakistan will soon hold a summit of Central Asian States in Islamabad, in which Central Asian states will be connected with Gwadar and Karachi ports. The federal cabinet also decided to continue the process of national census.