Pakistan’s foreign office has strongly denied media report that oil rich Saudi Arabia had funded country’s nuclear weapons program saying Pakistan’s nuclear bomb is not Saudi Arabia’s bomb.

Islamabad, Nov 8/Nationalturk – Pakistan government has denied reports that oil rich Saudi Arabia had funded country’s nuclear weapons program saying Pakistan’s nuclear bomb is not Saudi Arabia’s bomb.

“Pakistan is a responsible nuclear power and has a robust control system for its nuclear weapons. We have taken extensive protection measures for ensuring their security,” Pakistan’s Foreign Office Spokesman Aizaz Chaudhry told BBC Urdu service.

He rubbished the reports of BBC Newsnight that Saudi Arabia has funded Pakistan’s nuclear programme and can ‘obtain atomic bombs from the country at will’.

Aizaz termed BBC Newsnight report as “baseless, fake and provocative.”

‘Pakistan’s N-program at par with international standards’

“Pakistan’s nuclear program is at par with the international standards and in compliance with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),” he said.

According to BBC Newsnight report, Pakistan’s nuclear weapons are ready to be delivered to Saudi Arabia because the country had funded Pakistan’s nuclear programme.

The report had quoted press conference by former Israeli military intelligence chief Amos Yadlin in which he had said that Saudis will not even wait for a month in acquiring the atomic bomb in case Iran succeeds in making one. “Pakistan had already been paid by the Saudis in that regard,” he had said.

‘Riyadh has interest in Islamabad’s N-program’

As per the report, Riyadh has long had an interest in Islamabad’s nuclear programme. In 1999, then Saudi Defence Minister Prince Sultan was welcomed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the Kahuta plant, where Pakistan produces highly enriched uranium.

After being overthrown by the military later the same year, Sharif is now back again as prime minister – after spending years in exile in Saudi Arabia.

‘Saudis were not paying  us money for charity’

BBC’s Newsnight said a senior Pakistani, speaking on background terms, had confirmed the broad nature of the deal and said: “What did we think the Saudis were giving us all that money for? It wasn’t charity.”

Saudi Arabian government has time and again provided unlimited funds to cash starved Pakistan. The kingdom has been bailing out the only Islamic country having atomic bomb.

“US officials had been suspicious of Saudi intent to gain nuclear warhead from Pakistan after it bought long-range CSS-2 ballistic missiles from China,” BBC report  further said.

Since 2009, when King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia warned visiting US special envoy to the Middle East Dennis Ross that if Iran crossed the threshold, “we will get nuclear weapons”, the kingdom has sent the Americans numerous signals of its intentions.

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Faiz Ahmad / NationalTurk Pakistan News