Islamabad, Feb.3 : Pakistan's caretaker Information and Broadcasting Minister Nisar A Memon has claimed that the country's nuclear assets are in safe hands, and criticised what he called the ongoing propaganda against Pakistan and its nuclear arsenal in international fora.

Speaking at the launching ceremony of the Sindhi News Service of the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) at a hotel in Hyderabad on Saturday, Memon said the nation fully backed the policies of President Pervez Musharraf.

He said the nuclear weapons were safe and under the supervision of competent command and control authority.

Nisar Memon said the worsening law and order situation would be improved soon so that the elections could be held in a peaceful environment.

Nisar was quoted by The News as saying that 80 private channels in Pakistan would continue to operate under a code of conduct introduced shortly after the declaration of emergency (November 3) till TV channel operators proved they possessed a sense of responsibility and implemented the ethics of journalism.

He appealed to the managements of the TV channels to remain impartial and highlight the issues than rather dictating or giving decisions.

He said that Pakistan Television has been asked to give level-playing coverage to all political parties and similar was the guideline for radio and official news agencies.

ANI