Nuclear program safe and secure, says Foreign Office. PHOTO: FILE.
Allaying fears after a leaked intelligence report suggested increased US surveillance of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons following growing mistrust, the Foreign Office on Tuesday said that stringent international level security measures are in place to guard nuclear weapons and material.
“Pakistan is also fully engaged with the international community on nuclear safety and security issues. The efficacy of our strategic export controls has been acknowledged by experts from the international export control regimes during interactions on various occasions,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry.
The statement comes after a report quoted leaked documents provided by Edward Snowden that showed intensified surveillance of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons by the US government because it was concerned about biological and chemical arms sites.
The report also said that the US government routinely tries to evaluate the loyalty of Pakistani counter terrorism agents recruited by the CIA.
Responding to the Washington Post report, the spokesperson added that Pakistan had extensive physical protection measures coupled with robust command and control institutions to ensure safety and security of the nuclear installations and materials.
“We follow best international practices and standards set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),” Chaudhry added.
Reiterating Pakistan’s commitment to the international community, the foreign office spokesperson stated that Pakistan is fully committed to the objectives of disarmament and non-proliferation.
As a nuclear weapons state, Pakistan’s policy is characterised by restraint and responsibility, he added, maintaining that Pakistan is a state party to both Chemical Weapons Convention and Biological Weapons Convention and is fully implementing the two regimes.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2013.
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This is just the start, the worse is yet to come. I suggest you people read this book: "Deception: Pakistan, the United States, and the Secret Trade in Nuclear Weapons" It describes how US & European powers purposefully ignored Pakistan's nuclear dealings when they needed Pakistan to fight Soviet forces. But the same US declared sanctions on Pakistan later when it had no "strategic" use of Pakistan. Then came the "War on Terror" and Pakistan again became an "important ally" of US. Now that the NATO forces are withdrawing next year, Pakistan has yet again become irrelevant to US. Besides, US & all other major economies are already shifting towards India and Pakistan has become a "non-factor" in current scenario. In reality, US never approved of Pakistan's nuclear ambitions right from the start. Now that Pakistan is yet again losing its "strategic value" for the US, these reports of 'mistrust' have started coming out.
Pakistan is a responsible state and pursuing its nuclear weapon program in a peaceful manner. So US should not try to poke its nose into the affairs of the country. Pakistan's nuclear weapon program is running under the control of national command authority which is responsible for the deeds on part of Government of Pakistan.
“We follow best international practices and standards set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),”
Pakistan is a member of Global nuclear security and safety architecture, with the robust command and control system it has best security measures even putted by IAEA, UNSC 1540 resolution and so on..
Pakistan keeps a strong check on its nuclear programme and various channels are used to counter threats and restraints against Nuclear programme. It has established a comprehensive command and control system which deal with all issues concern to nuclear programme.
Pakistan has the export control law of 2004 which includes a prerequisite that the Government issues control lists for goods, technologies, material, and equipment which may donate to designing, development, stockpiling and use of nuclear weapons and related delivery systems. In 2007 Pakistan also joined the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism.
Pakistan has been the frontline state in the war on terror for last twelve years and there has not been a single nuclear security incident. .In fifteen years after overt nuclearization, Pakistan’s security record has been par excellence and even better than states where 80 years old nuns could break into top secret nuclear facilities.
Yes, the world is aware of Pakistan,s non-proliferation record!