Paks nuke weapons largely safe, says Indian NSA

Indias National Security Advisor M K Narayanan has said that Pakistans nuclear weapons are largely in safe hands.

New Delhi, Dec 16 : India's National Security Advisor M K Narayanan has said that Pakistan's nuclear weapons are largely in safe hands.

Speaking to Network 18, Narayanan said, "I would say it (Pakistani nuclear arsenal) is relatively safe or I would say it is largely safe."

He said that apprehensions about Pakistan's nuclear weapons falling in the hands of radicals has led to the US paying "very close attention" to the concerns, and added that India already has a contingency plan in place to deal with a situation of nuclear weapons falling into wrong hands and getting used by elements in Pakistan.

He said that former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has not been able to inspire confidence to New Delhi.

"Her track record is not necessarily something that would make us believe that she will follow to the letter and the spirit of what she has said," Narayanan said, adding that it would be difficult to believe if she delivers on her promise to extradite international terrorist Dawood Ibrahim and terrorists like Masood Azhar and Hafiz Mohammad Sayeed.

He also said that he doubted whether Bhutto would be given free hand in doing all things that she would wish to do since the army remains the most powerful entity there.

"The single most important entity in Pakistan remains the army and the ISI and I find it extremely difficult to believe that prime minister Benazir Bhutto, if she becomes that, will have a free hand in doing all the things that she wishes to do, but we hope that she will do her best," he said.

He described the new Army Chief General Ashfaq Kiyani as a professional soldier, who does not nurture political ambitions.

"He (General Kiyani) is a professional soldier," Narayanan said adding, "The soldiers who know him think he's a loyal individual."

He termed the relationships between General Kiyani and President Musharraf as 'cordial', and added that how long the relationships would last would depend on how does a civilian President play out in Pakistan when the Army is still the dominant force.

ANI