Pakistan will continue the development of its nuclear and missile programmes, which are the minimum level of deterrence required for the country's defence, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani said on Thursday.

Gillani made the remarks during a visit to the Strategic Plans Division, the tri-services body that maintains Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, and the Joint Staff Headquarters at Chaklala in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.

Gillani was accompanied by Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. This was Gillani's first visit to a military facility since he assumed office last month.

Lieutenant General (retired) Khalid Kidwai, the director general of the SPD, gave Gillani a thorough briefing on Pakistan's strategic defence programme and the command and control system for nuclear weapons.

Kidwai said Pakistan's nuclear technology cannot be stolen and the atomic assets cannot fall into the wrong hands.

At the Joint Staff Headquarters, Gillani was given a briefing by General Tariq Majeed, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, on the overall defence and security scenario. Gillani and Majeed also discussed professional matters.

The Prime Minister was presented a guard of honour by an armed forces contingent at the Joint Staff Headquarters.