Islamabad: The Pakistan government today briefed foreign envoys on the command and control system for its atomic weapons in an effort to allay concerns about the safety of the country's nuclear arsenal.

The briefing for the heads of diplomatic missions in Islamabad was the first of a series and was held in the Strategic Plans Divisions (SPD). The briefing covered "various aspects of the security of the nuclear assets," said a statement from the Foreign Office spokesman.

The envoys were told that the "concerns were generally a result of lack of information and understanding" of Pakistan s capabilities. "It was reiterated that there was no conceivable possibility that any extremist elements could take control of nuclear weapons," the statement said.

"A reference was also made to the recent interviews by the President in which he emphasised upon the robustness of our institutionalised command and control system," it said.
The SPD serves as the secretariat for the National Command Authority, the body headed by President Pervez Musharraf which is responsible for controlling Pakistan s nuclear weapons.

There have been numerous reports in the Western media regarding the safety of Pakistan's nuclear assets in view of the heightened political uncertainty and a spurt in extremist activities in the country.

The statement said two more briefings will be held for military attaches and members of the foreign media based in Islamabad. Last month, the SPD had briefed Pakistani journalists.

Source : PTI