New Delhi: Defence Minister George Fernandes on December 18 said Pakistan's recently test-fired medium range surface-to-surface Hatf-IV missile was capable of carrying nuclear warhead even as India has initiated steps to ensure protection from nuclear and biological attacks.

Asserting that New Delhi "continues to closely monitor all developments related to Pakistan's nuclear and missile programme", Fernandes told Rajya Sabha in written replies that it also covered possible threats from use of chemical and biological weapons.

Replying to a written question whether government proposed to raise a task force for protection from nuclear and biological weapons, Fernandes told the House, "Government has initiated necessary steps to ensure protection from nuclear and bio-attack."

However, the minister said it would not be in the interest of national security to disclose further details in this regard.

He also said Army headquarters and the Institution of Engineers (India) had recently conducted a day-long seminar on disaster management and the armed forces with a reference to nuclear disaster.

Fernandes said opinion was voiced at the seminar that it was not enough to train the security forces on nuclear attack management and the training must spread down to the grassroot level for disaster mitigation.

"The government will give due consideration in consultation with ministries concerned to recommendations of the seminar," he said.

PTI