National Command Authority meeting: ‘Western capitals need not worry’

Fears that Pakistan's nuclear weapons may fall into 'wrong hands' rejected.

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan on Tuesday rebuffed ‘scepticism’ in western capitals about the safety of its nuclear arsenal and said it would never accept any ‘discriminatory treatment’ that undermines its strategic deterrence.

At a meeting of the National Command Authority (NCA), the country’s top political and military leadership appeared to be sending across a clear message, rejecting fears that Pakistan’s nuclear weapons could fall into ‘wrong hands’.

“As a nuclear weapon state, Pakistan is fully cognisant of its responsibilities and has established effective and robust command and control structures, and comprehensive export control and regulatory regimes,” a statement, issued after the meeting, said.

The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Gilani and attended by chairman of the joint chiefs of staff committee and chiefs of all services.

The NCA huddled days after the Cabinet Committee on Defence decided to add aggression to a policy to pursue Islamabad’s interests ahead of a review by US President Obama of its policy for the region.

In recent weeks, leaked US diplomatic memos suggested that western capitals were worried that al Qaeda-inspired individuals could break through the safety walls to lay their hands on Pakistan’s nuclear weapons.

Without mentioning any country, the NCA said it would not accept any treatment that was discriminatory in nature.

“Such policies, detrimental as they are to international peace and security, undermine the credibility of the existing non-proliferation regime and are inconsistent with the national laws and international obligations,” the statement said.

“Revisionism based on strategic, political or commercial considerations accentuates asymmetries and would perpetuate instability, especially in South Asia,” it continued.

Though no country was mentioned in the handout, Pakistan has been critical of a US-India civilian nuclear deal and wanted to have a similar arrangement with Washington.

The statement by the NCA comes ahead of the visit of Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao to India and Pakistan.

“The NCA underscored that peace and security are indivisible and that the goals of non-proliferation could only be advanced by ensuring equal and undiminished security for all states,” the statement said.

In what appeared to be a message for Washington for its objections to its nuclear cooperation with China, the statement said Pakistan would never let anybody undermine its interests.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15th, 2010.