Washington, Jun 17 : US today expressed apprehension that the nuclear weapons and technology of Pakistan might fall into the hands of terrorists and thus stressed on having the lines of Communications open with Islamabad.
"It's a country with an awful lot of terrorists on that border," Admiral Mike Mullen Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters at a joint Pentagon newsconference with the Defence Secretary, Robert Gates.
"Things that I fear in the future, it's the proliferation of that technology, and it's the opportunity and the potential that it could fall into the hands of terrorists, many of whom are alive and well and seek that in that region. And that's of great interest, I think, to our country and certainly to the rest of the world," Mullen said in response to a question.
Gates argued the US strategy against terrorism is succeeding and Pakistan is playing a contributory role to that.
"It is important to remember that they have 140,000 troops on that border, that at a minimum are stirring things up. They basically cleared South Waziristan and Swat.
But even their presence and manoeuvring and so on creates uncertainty," he noted.
Gates said that there is some indication that al Qaeda is worried because of the way the US went after bin Laden, their suspicion is that the Pakistanis may have been involved
in it and are worried that the Pakistanis may betray them, as well. PTI
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