According to Biden, Pakistan has “nuclear weapons without any cohesiveness” and is “perhaps one of the most dangerous countries in the world,” according to a speech he gave on Thursday.
Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the foreign minister, expressed amazement at the remarks. At a news conference on Saturday, he stated, “As far as the matter of the safety and security of Pakistan’s nuclear assets are concerned, we fulfil every – each and every – international standard in line with the IAEA.
The White House made Biden’s speech’s transcript available online.
The summoning of the US ambassador, according to Bhutto-Zardari, won’t have a detrimental impact on ties with the US, and officials may discuss any particular concerns Washington may have on the nuclear programme.
After several years of icy ties, mostly because of worries over Pakistan’s suspected backing for the Taliban in Afghanistan, relations between Islamabad and Washington, two countries who were once close friends, have only begun to improve. Pakistan contests this backing.
The foreign minister said that despite holding many meetings, including at the State Department, during a recent trip to Washington, concerns over Pakistan’s nuclear development were not brought up.
