Ahmed Mukhtar Naqshbandi
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Defence, Khawaja Muhammad Asif said on Monday that Pakistan was a responsible state and its nuclear program had been globally endorsed as one of the safest programs in the world.
Responding to another question, Khwaja Asif said he had told the media that after the success of the confidence motion, the PDM would have gone into new elections and get a fresh mandate for five years.
“However, any interim government in that situation had failed to run the system smoothly and the country might have got defaulted at that time as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had not negotiated with the interim government,” Khwaja Asif added.
Pakistan Nuclear Program
While talking to media persons here, the federal minister said no such thought should be considered pertaining to the protection of the country’s nuclear program.
“We can protect all our nukes’ assets as per global laws and regulations. I have my 200% confidence that the country’s nuclear program was secure and well-guarded,” Asif added.
Economic Situation
Commenting on the rising inflation and economic situation in the country, he said the prevailing crisis was mainly what the coalition government of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) had inherited after the failure of Project Imran, “As we received only wreck.”
The minister highlighted that the PDM—ally parties had paid a huge price for its decision. The masses were facing a huge burden and it should not be put to the PDM’s credit rather Imran Khan should be held accountable.
“We are struggling to recover the system and paying a huge political cost for our recent decisions. No government can fulfill its claims in just six months or a year,” he said.
The minister underscored that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would continue its narrative of “Respect for Vote” which was an integral part of the constitution, adding, “I also took oath on it and its application on all of us.”
He also highlighted that the journalists’ impartiality was not their obligation and they could have a tilt towards any political ideology adding that there are many channels and journalists having political inclinations.
Responding to a query, the minister said that not even a single inch of Pakistan was under terrorists’ influence rather the peace was hard earned due to the huge sacrifices of the nation’s martyrs. “Our neighbor countries in the west are sharing culture, faith, and national ties for centuries. In the case of Afghanistan, we have been inhabiting 3.5 to 4 million Afghan Refugees and they are now part of our economy.
The minister further said that Pakistan had fraternal relations with Iran and it did not accuse it of allowing its soil use by terrorists against Pakistan. “We are in contact with Tehran and Kabul to stop the use of each other’s soil against the sovereignty of the three brotherly countries,” he added.
