ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Friday said that nuclear assets of the country are in safe hands and 'fully secured' and that the defence of the country is also in strong hands.

Addressing a press conference, he dispelled the impression and propaganda unleashed by western media regarding the country's nuclear assets.

“If we can develop nuclear assets, we also know how to protect them. When Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the founding father of PPP and the architect of nuclear program started it, the propagandists started opposing him and his programme at that time,” the minister said.

Regarding the attack at Kamra airbase, the minister said that it was not a security lapse and that the action of security personnel foiled the attempt to harm the national installations.

To a question, Rehman Malik said that it was the domain of Federal Interior Ministry to maintain overall law and order situation but this responsibility has been transferred to the provinces after 18th constitutional amendment.

However, he said Ministry of Interior is providing logistic support and shared intelligence from time to time to the provinces besides issuing directions.

Malik said the Interior Ministry has issued in-advance warning regarding possible attack at air force installations and it was the result of this intelligence sharing that personnel of Pakistan Air Force were able to foil the attempt and kill all the attackers.

Rehman Malik said that four attackers killed during the operation have been identified, adding that the attack on Kamra Airbase and other terrorist attacks could be traced back to North and South Waziristan.

To a question regarding a possible military operation in North Waziristan, he said no dictation would be accepted on it and no decision had been made regarding it.