Islamabad, Apr 10: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani today assured the world community that Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal is in “safe hands” as he embarked on a visit to the US to attend the Nuclear Security Summit hosted by President Barack Obama.
 “I assure the world, I assure the people of Pakistan that the nuclear capability, the nuclear programme is in safe hands,” Gilani told reporters at the Chaklala military airbase in Rawalpindi before boarding a special flight to the US.
 Noting that the summit had been convened as the world has concerns about nuclear safety, Gilani said Pakistan’s “nuclear programme is in experienced hands and we have experience of over 30 years”.
 He said he has the entire nation’s support on nuclear issues and that he had briefed the national security committee of parliament about his participation in the summit.
 The parliamentary panel had “totally endorsed” the government’s stance on nuclear issues. Gilani will also hold a number of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit.
 Asked if he would also meet his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh, Gilani said a meeting has not yet been scheduled. 
 Meanwhile with terror outfits like al-Qaeda aiming to grab nuclear weapons, the US has warned that the risk of an atomic attack has increased and sought efforts to lock down the world’s vulnerable nuclear materials within four years and prevent them from falling into hands of terrorists.
 “The nature of the threat has changed. We no longer live in constant fear of a global nuclear war where we’re in a standoff against the Russians with all of our nuclear arsenal on the ready, on a hair-trigger alert,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 10 Apr 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 10 Apr 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 11 Apr 2010 00:00:00 IST