By Xinhua
Islamabad : Pakistan Wednesday celebrated the 10th anniversary of its nuclear tests, describing the day as “historic in the nation’s quest for security”.
“Pakistan has taken its responsibilities as a nuclear weapon state seriously. We have not relented in our pursuit of creating a peaceful global and regional environment,” a foreign ministry statement said.
The statement titled “A Decade of Responsibility and Restraint”, said: “At all levels bilaterally and multilaterally, we have endeavoured to promote the cause of peace, disarmament and non-proliferation.”
It also said that Pakistan had initiated additional proposals for mutual confidence building as well as promoting regional stability.
“Pakistan has instituted an elaborate Nuclear Command and Control mechanism in February 2000. The National Command Authority (NCA) oversees custodial controls of all strategic assets,” the statement said.
“While continuing to act with responsibility and avoiding an arms race, Pakistan will neither be oblivious to its security requirements, nor to the needs of its economic development,” it added.
Pakistan conducted six nuclear tests between May 28 and 30 in 1998.