Chaudhry Nisar hints 'Pak may consider selling nuclear knowledge'

Pakistan Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Thursday hinted that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's cabinet might even consider selling of 'nuclear knowledge' to overcome financial crisis being faced by the country.

Some recent reports in the Pakistani media also said the government has, after motorway and airports, decided to mortgage PTV and Radio Pakistan buildings in order to secure loans.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, the Pakistani Interior Minister said, "Someday I call one of you my friend and suppose tell you that a meeting has been conducted and it has been decided that Pakistan is under huge economic crunch and will so sell its nuclear knowledge; so, now you tell me, you are a journalist, but you are a Pakistani too, wouldn't you be able to understand that what could be the implications for Pakistan if I publish this news?"

He drew this parallel in a bid to justify putting Dawn journalist Cyril Almeida on the Exit Control List (ECL).

The Pakistan Government a couple of days back put Almeida on the ECL after the Dawn published a report, denied by authorities, by him about an alleged rift between the country's powerful military and its government.

During the conference, Khan also said, "An attempt has been made to adversely impact a critical national security paradigm, so there should be an inquiry... Indian media used the report, saying that publication of the story verifies the Indian narrative of Pakistani dealings with non-state actors.