Pakistani Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar Tuesday said his government is in no hurry to decide whether it will sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) or not.

He said further that Pakistan will still have the option to conduct a nuclear test if another country did so even after signing the CTBT.

"If another country conducts tests, Pakistan's option to do the same remains open, irrespective of signing or not signing the CTBT. Nothing in the treaty imposes unilateral obligations on a state that has signed the treaty," he said at a seminar on the implications of CTBT at the Institute of Policy Studies here.

Nuclear deterrence is indispensable for the defense and security of Pakistan and the government is determined to maintain a robust and credible deterrent capability, the foreign minister said.

However, Chief Executive General Pervaiz Musharraf has reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to restraint and responsibility, he added.

Sattar said, "The government is in no hurry to make a decision, let alone sign the treaty."

"The final decision will not be made unless an informed consensus emerges as to what will best serve the interest of our country," he said.

With the explosion of six nuclear devices in May 1998, Pakistan is one of the seven nuclear nations in the world. (Xinhua)