ISLAMABAD ( JAVED MAHMOOD )

Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar has finally exposed the tacit demand of abandoning the long-range missiles Shaheen.

Famous Pakistani missile, Shaheen-III is the long-range missile with the capability to carry nuclear warheads up to 2,750 kilometer distance.

A few days before Dar’s statement, some knowledgeable people were talking about the IMF’s tacit demand from Pakistan to give up its nuclear-capable long-range missiles.

This issue, however, remained top secret till Thursday, when Dar made a statement in the Senate and said, “Nobody has any right to tell Pakistan what range of missiles it can have.

He hinted at an “uncustomary” attitude of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the resumption of loan.

Meanwhile, Abdullah Khan, President of the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) said that after Dar’s statement, it was official confirmed that the IMF was putting pressure on Pakistan to abandon the long-range missiles.

He said that those who ended the sovereignty of the State Bank of Pakistan must be tried under Article-6.

Basically, the Shaheen-III missiles were eye-sour for the foes of Pakistan and IMF has come out to represent enemies of Pakistan with this cunning demand.

In the prevailing situation, China has saved Islamabad from the default by refinancing commercial loans.

Meanwhile, other friendly countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are still silent about their open support to Pakistan as the IMF is demanding written guarantees from them.

Finance Minister said, “Nobody has any right to tell Pakistan what range of missiles it can have and what nuclear weapons it can have. We have to have our own deterrence.” Dar stated this during a special session of the Senate on Thursday. Many diplomats, including ambassadors of different countries witnessed the session.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister’s Office also issued a statement to clear the air about the nuclear programme of Pakistan and its safety.

“Pakistan’s nuclear and missile programme are national assets,” said the PM’s Office. The strategic assets of Pakistan are totally secure, foolproof, and under no stress or pressure whatsoever, it added.

The PM’s Office further said, “In the wake of all the recent statements, and various assertions regarding Pakistan’s nuclear and missile programme were circulating on social and print media. Even a traditional routine visit of DG IAEA Rafael Mariano Grossi for peaceful nuclear programme was portrayed in a negative light.”

The PMO rejected speculations about nuclear assets of Pakistan.