Without nukes, Pak won`t have survived after 26/11: Scientist

Islamabad, May 30 (PTI) Without atomic weapons, Pakistan
would have not "survived" after Kargil war, Parliament attack
and Mumbai terror strikes, the country's top nuclear scientist
said Saturday.

Some people who talk about the high expenses of nuclear
programme, do not know the importance of nuclear capability,
Dr Samar Mubarakmand, Member Science and Technology, Planning
Commission of Pakistan, said.

"Without nuclear power, Pakistan would have not survived
after Kargil, Indian Parliament and Mumbai incident episodes,"
he said addressing the 4th Convocation of the Institute of
Space Technology (IST) here.

He also said Pakistan has sufficient skilled work-force
to launch its own satellite system and hopefully the country
would be able to launch indigenously built Pak-SAT-I in 2011.

Later, talking to media, Mubarakmand brushed aside the
impression of any threat to Pakistan' nuclear assets and said
these were fully protected under an effective command and
control system.

"Such speculations are totally wrong and baseless. Some
elements have been raising such things in the past too, just
to pressurise Pakistan in a specific time," he said.

To a question, he said nobody should have any objection
if any country helps Pakistan in its nuclear programme for
peaceful objectives like promotion of energy, agriculture and
health sectors. PTI