WEB DESK
The military top brass on Tuesday rebuffed weekend comments from US President Joe Biden on Pakistan’s nuclear program, reposing its faith in the country’s nuclear command structure and the measures taken to strengthen nuclear security.
This was expressed on Tuesday during a meeting of the Corps Commander’s Conference, held at the General Headquarters of the Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi. The meeting was chaired by Chief Of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
According to a readout of the meeting released by the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military high command undertook a comprehensive review of the prevailing internal and external security situation and operational preparedness of the army.
The statement said that the country’s top military commanders “reposed full confidence in Pakistan’s robust nuclear command and control structure and security arrangements related to the country’s strategic assets.”
ISPR further suggested that during the meeting, the military high command was taken into confidence over the country’s nuclear command and security structure.
“As a responsible nuclear weapon state, Pakistan has taken all measures necessary to strengthen its nuclear security regime, at par with international best practices, the forum was informed,” ISPR added.
During the meeting, Army Chief Bajwa expressed his satisfaction with the operational preparedness of the military. He also reiterated the army’s resolve to “defend the country against all threats.”
Flood efforts
During the meeting, the flood situation in the country was also reviewed. Gen Bajwa, after completing his foreign tours, had visited various flood-hit areas in Sindh over the weekend.
The forum was apprised of the army’s assistance to civil administration for relief and rehabilitation efforts in flood-affected areas and the post-flood situation, particularly in Sindh and Balochistan.
The army chief lauded the operational readiness of various divisions of the military and the sustained efforts during flood relief duties.
Uproar
An uproar was caused around the country over the weekend in the aftermath of comments from US President Joe Biden at a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Reception called Pakistan as “one of the most dangerous nations in the world.”
He quickly followed up that comment with an aspersion on Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program, calling it a “nuclear weapons without any cohesion.”
It prompted a strong response from Islamabad, where Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari issued a strong statement while the American Ambassador David Bloome was called to the Foreign Office, and a strong demarche was issued over Biden’s comments.
