Ishaq Dar clarifies remarks on Pakistan’s nuclear programme

• Ishaq Dar clarifies his statement on the nuclear programme
• He said the remarks were “quoted out of context”
• He said the IMF was delayed due to technical reasons

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar clarified his statement given on the floor of the Senate regarding the country’s nuclear programme, saying the remarks were “quoted out of context”.

In a statement, the minister said the delay in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreement was due to “technical reasons”.

“My comments with regards to Pakistan’s nuclear programme was in response to a colleague senator’s specific question, wherein, I emphasized that Pakistan has sovereign right to develop its nuclear programme, as it best suits our national interests, without any external dictation, which, by no means should in any way whatsoever be linked with the ongoing negotiations with the IMF,” he said.

The minister clarified that neither the IMF nor any country had attached any conditionality or made any demand from Pakistan regarding nuclear capability.

He said the delay in IMF staff-level agreement was due to technical reasons and they are continuously engaged with the financial institution to conclude at the earliest.

A controversy erupted when Ishaq Dar told the Senate that there would be “no compromise” on the country’s nuclear and missile programme.

The remarks came after Senator Raza Rabbani raised some questions on the reasons behind the extraordinary delay in the agreement with the IMF.

The PPP leader lamented that the Senate is not taken into confidence on the IMF conditions for reviving the loan programme.

Senator Rabbani asked if the delay was being made because of some sort of pressure on the country’s nuclear programme or its strategic relationship with China.

In response, Ishaq Dar assured that there would be no compromise on Pakistan’s nuclear assets or the long-range missile programme.

He said staff-level agreement and the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) would be placed on the website of the finance ministry after being finalized.

“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,” he said. “We represent the people of Pakistan and we have to guard our national interests,” he said.

The finance minister also said that an assurance from friendly countries to fund a balance of payment gap was the last hurdle in securing an IMF deal.

The PTI also demanded clarification from the finance minister on the remarks. PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif should issue a policy statement on the nuclear programme.

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