EU asked not to make unrealistic demands
By Asghar Ali Mubarak

ISLAMABAD—Pakistan regretting the European Parliament’s Resolution on situation in Pakistan said the European Parliament must take cognizance of the sensitive situation prevailing in Pakistan and should not aggravate the ground situation in Pakistan by unrealistic and intrusive demands.
In a statement issued on Monday Foreign office spokesman said, “ We have noted the contents of the European Parliament’s Resolution on situation in Pakistan. The Resolution is regrettable because it ignores the ground realities and fails to show understanding of the extraordinary situation that necessitated emergency for maintaining political stability and preserving the on-going political process in the country”.
He said the emergency was imposed to avert an institutional breakdown and internal crisis that had paralysed the government and had the potential to cause incalculable harm to the country. The continuation of that situation would have constricted the ability of the government to counter militancy and terrorism that poses a grave threat to Pakistan and the world.
The Government of Pakistan is progressing towards full democratic rule, he said. The National Assembly has completed its full tenure for the first time in its history. A new care-taker Government has been instituted, which includes eminent and capable personalities. The President has announced that elections will be held before 9th January 2008 and he will take off his uniform by end of this month. Several of the detainees have been released. The print media remains free from any restrictions and most of the electronic media is back on air again, he said.
Pakistan Monday said as a responsible nuclear weapons state Pakistan has always attached great significance to the security of its strategic assets. Commenting on a news published in ‘The New York Times’ titled “US Secretly Aids Pakistan in Guarding Nuclear Arms”, Foreign Office Spokesman Muhammad Sadiq said it gives distorted and exaggerated picture of Pakistan’s efforts to learn from best practices of other countries with regard to their nuclear safety and export controls.
The Spokesman said,”As a responsible nuclear weapons state Pakistan has always attached great significance to the security of its strategic assets.” “These assets are completely safe and secure under multi-layered security and Command and Control structures that are fully indigenous,” said the Spokesman.
He said nuclear security is an area in which it is in everyone’s interest to ensure that the best possible procedures are in place. The Spokesman said even the most advanced states continue to upgrade their systems and benefit from the experience of other countries.
Accordingly, Pakistan and the US have been engaged in mutually agreeable cooperation which is essentially in the nature of rudimentary training and ideas to strength security and surveillance, he added.
The Spokesman said similarly the equipment mentioned in the story for tracing nuclear material is of a basic nature and is needed to prevent smuggling of such materials from ports or other exit points.
He said for the purpose of the cooperation, Pakistan’s red liens have always been clear which ensure that its control and safety procedures remain fully protected and secure.
The Spokesman said authorities in Pakistan, during their briefings to the media and the parliamentarians, in a spirit of openness, have already been talking about this matter and there is nothing sensational about the cooperation, as the New York times story appears to imply.