THE HAGUE, Sept 27: President Pervez Musharraf on Monday reiterated Pakistan's firm commitment to nuclear non-proliferation, saying a strong custodial control was in place and all strategic assets were under control.

"Pakistan will never proliferate, and there is absolutely no export of the (nuclear) material from the country," he told Dutch parliamentarians.

In his address to members of both the house of representatives and the senate, the president said that democracy was functioning fully in Pakistan. He said reforms like the National Security Council had been introduced keeping in view the country's specific conditions.

The women, he said, had been empowered politically as now the National Assembly had 73 woman members, 60 of whom had been elected on reserved seats. He informed the Dutch MPs that minorities in Pakistan enjoyed full rights and now they could take part in the main political process through the joint electorate system. The media too, he said, enjoyed complete freedom in the country.

The president apprised the Dutch lawmakers about his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York last week. "I hope that this meeting will augur well for peaceful resolution of issues, I am optimistic."

Speaking about peace and stability in Afghanistan, he said Pakistan was supportive of Oct 9 Afghan elections and was spending $5 million for registration of refugee voters living in the country.

"We are committed to stability and territorial integrity of Afghanistan. Pakistan will do its utmost to ensure security of election process." However, he said, an early raising of the Afghan national army would fill vacuum and help ensure durable security in that country.

In an address of welcome earlier, the president of the Dutch house of representative in address, F.W. Weisglas, said Pakistan had a strategic role in promoting understanding between the West and the Muslim world and in preventing a clash of civilizations. "You have a courageous stand and taken bold actions against terrorists as is evident from yesterday's killing of major terror operative Amjad Farooqi," he said. -APP