Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday rejected US President Joe Biden's remarks on the safety of the country's nuclear weapons as factually incorrect and misleading as Islamabad summoned America's Ambassador here to lodge an official demarche.
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also said that he is "surprised" by the remarks of President Biden on Pakistan's nuclear weapons.
Reacting to President Biden's remarks, Prime Minister Sharif rejected the statement as factually incorrect and misleading.
“Over the past decades, Pakistan has proven to be a most responsible nuclear state, wherein its nuclear programme is managed through a technically sound and foolproof command and control system," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) quoted him as saying.
“Pakistan has also consistently demonstrated responsible stewardship of its nuclear-weapons capability, marked by a very strong commitment to global standards, including those of IAEA on non-proliferation, safety, and security,” the prime minister said.
In an apparent reference to India, Sharif said the real threat to international peace and security is posed by ultra-nationalism, violation of human rights in regions that are struggling against illegal occupation, violation of global norms by some states, repeated nuclear security incidents and arms race among leading nuclear weapon states and introduction of new security constructs that disturb the regional balance.
Sharif said Pakistan and the US have a long history of friendly and mutually beneficial relationship.
“At a time, when the world is confronted by huge global challenges, it is critically important that genuine and durable efforts are made to recognise the real potential of Pakistan-US relationship while avoiding unnecessary comments,” he said. He added, “It is our sincere desire to cooperate with the US to promote regional peace and security.”
The Foreign Office, in a statement said that Acting Foreign Secretary Jauhar Saleem called in US Ambassador Donald Blome and conveyed Pakistan's disappointment and concern on the "unwarranted remarks, which were not based on ground reality or facts".
"Pakistan made clear that it was a responsible nuclear state and its impeccable stewardship of the nuclear programme and adherence to global standards and international best practices was well acknowledged, including by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)," it said.
The Foreign Office said it was essential to maintain the positive trajectory of Pakistan-US relations and the close cooperation between the two sides to build regional and global peace.