UN group briefed on Pakistan’s perspective on nuclear non-proliferation

A group of UN Disarmament Fellows visiting Pakistan as part of the international study tour

APP October 10, 2022

China maintains its opposition to India joining a group of nations seeking to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons by controlling access to sensitive technology, said the head of the arms control department in China's Foreign Ministry. PHOTO: Reuters

ISLAMABAD:

A group of UN Disarmament Fellows comprising officers from 24 countries, currently on a visit to Pakistan from October 8 to 10 as part of their international study tour under the auspices of the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNoDA), visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the visit, they received a briefing on Pakistan’s perspective on arms control, disarmament, and nuclear non-proliferation as well as the imperative of unhindered access to dual-use technologies for peaceful socio-economic applications, an official statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday.

The group comprised officers from 24 countries including Algeria, Angola, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Cambodia, Egypt, France, Ghana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iran, Libya, Montenegro, Pakistan, Palau, Poland, Saint Kits & Nevis, Togo, United States, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Yemen.

During the tour, the fellows will also be visiting the Pakistan Centre of Excellence on Nuclear Security (PCENS), Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science & Technology (PINSTECH), National Institute of Health (NIH), Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), Defence Science & Technology Organisation (DESTO) and Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) to witness the application of nuclear and space technologies in the area of public health, industry, agriculture, food security, power generation etc.

At PCENS and PNRA, fellows will receive briefings on Pakistan nuclear safety and security architecture, regulatory mechanisms and safeguards introduced by the government of Pakistan in line with global standards which have been internationally recognised and acknowledged by the IAEA.

The fellows will also be visiting different laboratories, globally acknowledged reference libraries and state-of-the-art facilities at DESTO and NIH.

At SUPARCO, the participants will get acquainted with Pakistan’s space programme and its utility for the socio-economic development of the country.

The UN Programme of Fellowships on Disarmament was launched by UNGA at its first special session devoted to disarmament in 1978. It is for the first time that Pakistan is hosting such an international study tour for UN Disarmament Fellows.