Pak plays down report on nuclear missile

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has played down a report by an organisation of American scientists that it is preparing its next generation nuclear capable ballistic missile for deployment.

"This is a speculative report, which contains part fact and part fiction," Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said.

She was reacting to a report by the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) which said Pakistan is preparing its next generation nuclear-capable ballistic missiles for deployment, which will give it the ability to target facilities across most if not all of India.

Asked about US Secretary of Defence's statement that American military missions were in Pakistan's tribal areas to pursue Al Qaeda activists hiding there, Aslam said only Pakistani security forces are responsible for any military action against Al Qaeda and other militants who may have taken refuge in tribal areas.

"Regarding military action, Pakistan's security forces are solely responsible for such action in our territory," she said.

However, there is security cooperation and intelligence-sharing between our security forces and NATO-led ISAF, she was quoted as saying by the Dawn.