Pak rejects reports about US aid being diverted to 'safeguard' nuclear programme

Islamabad, June 30 (ANI): Pakistan has rejected media reports that the money being provided to Islamabad by the United States as humanitarian aid is being diverted towards its nuclear programme.

Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said such reports were baseless and were an effort to malign the country's image.

"Such unwarranted and unfounded assertions that keep appearing from time to time are clearly mala fide, desperately trying to raise apprehensions about the safety and security of Pakistan's nuclear programme," The Daily Times quoted Basit, as saying.

He also refuted claims that the US is helping Pakistan 'modernize' its nuclear assests.

"We have never sought the advice of any US expert in this regard," said Basit.

Basit also claimed that Islamabad is fully capable of looking after the safety and security of its strategic assets, and said any fears regarding it falling into the hands of the extremists were 'unwarranted'. (ANI)