Launch of Three Reports
Nuclear Paper Series
12 February, 2016
Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad
The Institute of Strategic Islamabad (ISSI) organised a seminar for the launch of a new publicationtitled the Nuclear Paper Series, today. The Chief Guest on the occasion was H.E. Mr. Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Foreign Secretary of Pakistan and the Keynote Speaker was Mr. Khalid Banuri, Director General Arms Control and Disarmament Affairs (ACDA). Other speakers included the authors of the Nuclear Paper Series; Dr. Rizwana Abbasi, Assistant Professor, NDU; Dr. Zafar Khan, Assistant Professor, NDU; Dr. Naeem Salik, Distinguished Fellow, ISSI; Mr. Qasim Mustafa, Senior Research Fellow, ISSI; Ms. Ghazala Yasmin, Research Fellow, ISSI and Mr. Tahir Mahmood Azad Research Fellow, ISSI.
Mr. Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry stated that Pakistan is a peace-loving nation that was compelled to acquire nuclear deterrence in the face of a grave threat that could have been ignored, but only at great peril to the country’s national security and sovereignty. He stated that Pakistan’s nuclear safety and security measures are in line with the best international standards and practices and its strong credentials as a nuclear state qualify it for being mainstreamed in the global nuclear order. The global nonproliferation regime also stands to gain from Pakistan’s membership. In order to meet its exponentially increasing energy needs and to support sustained economic growth and industrial development in the years to come, civil nuclear power generation is an imperative necessity for Pakistan. Strategic stability in South Asia has been negatively impacted by the Indo-US nuclear deal and the discriminatory waiver granted to India by the NSG. The recent reports by NTI, ISIS and other assessments by international experts corroborate that the NSG waiver has allowed India to exponentially increase its fissile material stocks with grave implication for strategic stability in the region. The Foreign Secretary stated that in order to ensure South Asia’s long term peace, stability and prosperity, it is essential for the international community to adopt an approach to this region that is even-handed and criteria-based rather than driven by strategic and commercial considerations or political expediency. Pakistan’s conduct as a nuclear weapon state will continue to be defined by restraint and responsibility. As the country seeks to ensure its national security, credible minimum deterrence remains its guiding principle.Earlier, Ambassador Masood Khan, Director General ISSI in his welcome remarks said that Pakistan and India, both non-NPT nuclear weapon states, should enter into the NSG simultaneously on the basis of a single criterion. Double standards should not be applied. Pakistan should be given space to pursue its legitimate nuclear trade and participate in the work of export control regimes. Furthermore, he stated that Pakistan should pursue a dialogue for a civil nuclear deal with the US, but not at the expense of the legitimate growth and refinement of its nuclear programme. There should be no pricey pre-conditions for Pakistan to get what India was given
Earlier, Ambassador Masood Khan, Director General ISSI in his welcome remarks said that Pakistan and India, both non-NPT nuclear weapon states, should enter into the NSG simultaneously on the basis of a single criterion. Double standards should not be applied. Pakistan should be given space to pursue its legitimate nuclear trade and participate in the work of export control regimes. Furthermore, he stated that Pakistan should pursue a dialogue for a civil nuclear deal with the US, but not at the expense of the legitimate growth and refinement of its nuclear programme. There should be no pricey pre-conditions for Pakistan to get what India was given pro bono. Mr. Khalid Banuristated that unlike India Pakistan does not consider its nuclear weapons one of prestige, but a weapon of security. Pakistan has always made a consistent effort to ensure that sensitive technologies, material and equipment remain in the stringent control in the international spirit of non-proliferation.
Mr. Khalid Banuristated that unlike India Pakistan does not consider its nuclear weapons one of prestige, but a weapon of security. Pakistan has always made a consistent effort to ensure that sensitive technologies, material and equipment remain in the stringent control in the international spirit of non-proliferation.Three reports were presented on the occasion: 1)
Three reports were presented on the occasion: 1)Pakistan in the global Nuclear Order;2) Pakistan and India: Nuclear Non- Proliferation Credentials and3) Strategic Stability in South Asia: Challenges and Prospects.The speakers applauded Pakistan’s efforts to improve its legal order, fight terrorism in its all forms and manifestations, create a rigorous export-control regime and construct a nuclear security regime and stated that efforts should be made to create an effective and enduring “criteria-based approach” for the non-NPT states to protect their right of peaceful uses of nuclear technology. They further added that inclusion of Pakistan in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) through a revised criteria-based mechanism to preserve its right to peaceful uses of nuclear technology would strengthen, not weaken, the nuclear order. Five proposals were presented to assist the international community in understanding Pakistan’s nuclear legitimacy and its consistent endeavours to join international nuclear mainstream to be part of the evolving global nuclear order as a responsible nuclear weapons state. These were : 1) Normalising the global nuclear order to make it consistent with emerging realities; 2) Regulating India’s emerging nuclear modernisation by addressing the growing conventional force asymmetry; 3) Addressing the issues that hinder arms control in South Asia; 4) Re-considering strategic dilemma affecting South Asia; and 5) Resolving the issue of Jammu and Kashmir between India and Pakistan. Furthermore, it was pointed out that the role of non-state actors in precipitating crises between nuclear armed states has emerged as a new and potent threat to strategic stability in the post-cold war era. This further fuels the need to re-establish a dialogue process between India and Pakistan that would go beyond CBMs and lead to the resolution of unresolved disputes. The Chairman Board of Governors ISSI, Ambassador Khalid Mahmood in his concluding remarks said that Pakistan is a responsible nuclear power.. It does not have any aggressive designs and it’s main objective is self-defence and economic progess. It is high time to mainstream Pakistan into the international nuclear order.
The Chairman Board of Governors ISSI, Ambassador Khalid Mahmood in his concluding remarks said that Pakistan is a responsible nuclear power.. It does not have any aggressive designs and it’s main objective is self-defence and economic progess. It is high time to mainstream Pakistan into the international nuclear order.
