N-sites can withstand any strike: President

KARACHI—President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz yesterday (Monday) assured the nation that the country was heading in the right direction and was capable of meeting of external and internal challenges.
They made these observations during an unscheduled visit to the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah to pay homage to the founder of Pakistan on his 130th birth anniversary. President Musharraf also had a chat with the newly mounted guards of Pakistan Military Academy Kakul.
The guards included six women and a Sikh cadet who have been inducted in Pakistan Army for the first time.
Shaukat Aziz called upon people to join hands with the government to make Pakistan a stronger, better and developed country as visioned by the founder of the nation. State-run Pakistan Television organised an impressive function on Sunday at the mausoleum where both President Musharraf and Prime Minister Aziz were present.
Speaking on the occasion, Musharraf said Pakistan’s nuclear and missile installations were safe enough to withstand any nuclear strike. “I want to declare that the security and safety of our nuclear and missile power is so much that if, God forbid, there is a nuclear attack on Pakistan, this would not be affected.”
He said Pakistan has tested the accuracy and capability of every missile. The president said: “I am confident that the country does not face any external threat. The armed forces and the nation are fully capable of facing any external threat. I am saying with authority that our defence power is increasing in comparison to the external threat to the country. Inshaallah, it will continue to increase.”
However, he noted that some internal threats and elements were trying to harm and destablise the country. He vowed that the armed forces and the nation will face with full strength those elements whether Al Qaeda, militant Taleban or any element in Balochistan and defeat them. “No one will be allowed to challenge the writ of the government,” he added.
Referring to the economic revival, Musharraf declared that the singular achievement of his government during the past seven years was the “turnaround of the economy” which was in a very bad shape when he assumed power in 1999. “Our singular and biggest success during the past seven year is the turnaround of the economy,” he observed. During this period Pakistan, which was earlier termed as a failed state, has gone far ahead.
Musharraf also talked about the empowerment of people, women, minorities, opposition and parliamentarians, media and judiciary, which he said went to the credit of present government.—SANA