Sassi University Director General Dr Maria Sultan in her opening remarks said Pakistan-EU strategic dialogue will lead towards a positive outcome. PHOTO: FILE
Experts at a dialogue here on Monday discussed the nuclear non-proliferation challenges for Pakistan and South Asia, said a press release.
The dialogue on “Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Challenges for Pakistan and the Region” was organized by the South Asian Strategic Stability Institute (SASSI) University and attended by security and defence analysts.
EU principal adviser and special envoy for non-proliferation and disarmament Jaeck Bylical said that the EU-Pakistan engagement plan is an effective instrument to counter the threat of nuclear proliferation and global challenges in this domain.
Sassi University Director General Dr Maria Sultan in her opening remarks said Pakistan-EU strategic dialogue will lead towards a positive outcome.
She emphasized that the Indo-US nuclear deal has created serious security concerns for the stability of the region.
While speaking on the occasion, Defence Secretary Asif Yaseen Malik stated that the increase in the Indian defence budget was equal to the entire defence budget of Pakistan. He added that Pakistan continues to believe in minimum deterrence and engaging on non-proliferation with the rest of the international community.
Pakistan’s commitment to nuclear security framework is a testament to this, he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 17th, 2014.
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Since 1st nuclear test, Pakistan is closely working with global powers to minimize the risk of nuclear terrorism and it has successfully collaborated with Global powers to ensure safety and security of its nuke. Pakistan has developed a robust command and control mechanism over nuclear assets. The conditions of Pakistan's nuclear materials security have improved through strengthened laws and regulations, so as to reflect the latest nuclear security guidelines by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Pakistan is engaged with the international community on nuclear safety and security issues, and is working to ensure that its strategic export controls are in line with international standards. Pakistan is party to both the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological Weapons Convention, and is a partner in the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism. Recent White House documents also acknowledge Pakistan's efforts to increase its controls and interdiction of the illicit supply of the materials used to produce improvised explosive devices. Islamabad is well aware of the challenges and hurdles that's why it has given top priority to its nuclear non proliferation. Being respectable nuclear state, it has established close relations with other states including EU to overcome the global illicit nuclear trade.
Pakistan — which has gone to great lengths to support the global nuclear nonproliferation regime — has been denied membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group, a decision that greatly hampers Islamabads efforts to develop a commercial nuclear energy program. Though the NPT is considered the pivot point of the nonproliferation system, the nuclear states outside the treaty are major players in the international security system, and they affect the world’s nuclear balance.
Islamabad is very actively participating in the international arrangements to prevent any nuclear or radiological terrorism. For instance, Pakistan was among the first countries that submitted a report to the UN to fulfil its obligations under the UNSCR 1540. Further, it joined the US sponsored Container Security Initiative (CSI) in March 2006 and the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) in 2007. Also, it is part of the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) process - an initiative taken by President Barack Obama that has led to two successful summits in 2010 and 2012 held at Washington DC and Seoul.
Role of Pakistan as a responsible nuclear state can be seen by the efforts it has done in the domain of nuclear non proliferation. Where it has established various safety and security divisions, where PNRA is the sole autonomous body which regulated the activities related to nuclear technology. became participant of various international safety and security norms, has linked it self with IAEA for the regular supervision of its nuclear facilities. It is not the member of NPT but has done tremendous efforts to run it nuclear program in a safe manner.
Being the nuclear weapon state, Pakistan extensively developed its nuclear safety and security framework along with the export control regime. The state really proves to be as a ‘responsible nuclear weapon state’ as it clearly highlighted the initiatives it opted for nuclear security setup at the platform of Nuclear Security Summit 2014. It ensures its equal participation for nonproliferation efforts taken by the international community. The EU extended hand of cooperation with Pakistan in nuclear domain would be of beneficial and enhance the cooperative channels to be fruitful in the long run.
Pakistan is a member of some multilateral programs, including the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism. Pakistan is committed to the objective of enhancing nuclear security. It has fully been engaged with the international community to promote nuclear safety and security. A rigorous regulatory regime encompasses all matters related to nuclear safety and security, including physical protection of materials and facilities, material control and accounting, transport security, prevention of illicit trafficking, border controls, and plans to deal with possible radiological emergencies. The Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA), an autonomous oversight body, has developed a sustainable nuclear security regulatory system with established response and recovery capabilities. It works closely with the IAEA.
Pakistan is a member of some multilateral programs, including the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism. Islamabad has also put into place more stringent export control mechanisms, including the 2004 Export Control Act and the establishment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Strategic Export Control Division (SECDIV) to regulate exports of nuclear, biological, and missile-related products. The Export Control (Licensing and Enforcement) Rules were published in 2009, and in July 2011 Islamabad issued an updated control list including nuclear and missile-related dual-use goods to bring its restrictions in line with those of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), and the Australia Group (AG). Additionally, Pakistan has been involved in the U.S. government's Secure Freight Initiative through the stationing of systems at Port Qasim to scan containers for nuclear and radiological materials.