Pakistan says its proliferation
case regarding Dr AQ Khan and nuclear black-marketing
is not closed.
Questioning, investigations
and cooperation with the IAEA and the world capitals concerned
are continuing, with Pakistan having cleaned up the mess
of the international nuclear black-market, said the spokesman
at the Foreign Office in weekly briefing on Monday.
For the umpteenth time
the US media, this time the weekly Time magazine, has
levelled baseless charges against Islamabad that speaks
about the missing of 16 uranium hexafloride gas cylinders
from the KRL and extending nuclear technology to Saudi
Arabia, and that the nuclear black market is still thriving.
"Rubbish. This is
a highly speculative report, which appears to have been
rehashed from the past and based on speculative stories.
The report has made two specific charges. First that there
are 16 uranium hexafloride gas cylinders missing, while
a charge that the black market network has not stopped.
I have talked to those concerned and they say that their
inventory is complete. This is a baseless report as Pakistan
has cleaned up the mess of the international black market".
As pressure continues to
be built on Islamabad, the spokesman, while responding
to a query, said that there were some constituencies that
were critical of Pakistan's nuclear policy. "We have
cleaned up the mess of the international black market
and we share (the findings) transparently with Pakistanis
and the international community. We have done more than
any other country. Other countries have also been allegedly
involved but we have yet to see any one probing to see
if there are any skeletons in their cupboard. We have
not closed the case on black marketing", added the
spokesman.
He said if fresh leads
emerged through investigations then Pakistan would look
into them. The spokesman made it clear that Pakistan was
a nuclear state and was well aware of its responsibilities
but this status came with a particular risk and a campaign
against black marketing is a joint responsibility of all
states.
While commenting on an
earlier statement of US Secretary of State Condoleeza
Rice, the spokesman said Pakistan at the time had emphasised
that it was the ultimate custodian of its programme and
was prepared for all emergencies. "Nuclear states
have their own preparedness and ours is second to none",
the spokesman declared.
As the president of World
Bank has started meeting Pakistani leadership, the spokesman
said that the issue of the Baglihar dam is being raised.
"We hope the concerned officials at the World Bank
would expedite Pakistan's request on the issue",
he added.
Pakistan believes that
the dam is not an issue between the two countries alone,
as this is also of concern to those Pakistanis living
on the side of the Chenab river, who should be entitled
to their rights as the lower riparian.
Responding to several queries
the spokesman criticised New Delhi's decision not to attend
the Saarc summit, especially the fact that neither the
chair of Saarc nor the hosts of the summit were informed
till the last moment. "This has been a set back as
no one was expecting this. The reasons for the postponement
were not convincing but right now we have to make efforts
towards regional cooperation. If we want to move towards
contemporary trends then this fragile forum should be
strengthened", added the spokesman.
He said as chairperson
of the Saarc, Pakistan has a responsibility to ensure
that there are no fissures between India and Bangladesh
and New Delhi and Kathmandu.
The spokesman said the
visit of the Indian Minister for External Affairs, Natwar
Singh would be a chance to firm up the dates for the visit
of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Pakistan. The Natwar's
visit would also be a chance to continue with the composite
dialogue as the Saarc summit robbed the two countries
of a chance of their two prime ministers meeting in Dhaka.
"This will not be a chance to go into rhetoric but
one to use negotiating skills to resolve issues and we
will engage with the minister on all issues", said
the spokesman.
Regarding a statement from
Tehran saying that the gas pipeline would go ahead with
Pakistan alone if India causes delay, the spokesman said
that this was because time was of essence. "Pakistan
and Iran have held technical, ministerial and head of
state level talks and it was now urgent to wrap up these
discussions", he added.
Pakistan is also worried
at what it sees is a "gathering storm" in the
region with the US threatening Iran over its nuclear policy.
"Pakistan does not have a formal role and has not
been designated to moderate. But Iran is a neighbour and
both the US and Iran are friends. This heavy precipitation
must stop and the best route is diplomacy", said
spokesman.
Commenting on the upcoming
visit of British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, the spokesman
said that this was an important visit where a strategic
dialogue will be held.
