Islamabad: Ruling out freezing or rolling back its nuclear programme, Pakistani Information Minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmed has said Pakistan was a declared nuclear power, and that there was no question of freezing its nuclear programme.

He said Pakistan would not bow to any pressure to reduce or freeze its nuclear programme, 'The News' reported on June 8.

He clarified that the nuclear programme and installations were in safe hands and "they would not go into hands of extremists".

Castigating the Opposition for attacking the present-day government's nuclear programme, he said they should make responsible statements especially regarding the issues, which affect national interests. "The MMA (Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal) policies are giving a wrong message to the Western world," Rashid stated.

He advised the Opposition to play a more meaningful role, especially when President General Pervez Musharraf was embarking on an important visit to the US. "The Opposition was trying to undermine it," he said.

Negating Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader Benazir Bhutto's claim that Pakistan's nuclear programme was in the hands of extremists, he said, "Such irresponsible attitude is totally against the national interests."

ANI