Pakistan's qualification to become NSG member highlighted

Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua on Wednesday highlighted Pakistan's qualification to become member of the Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG) and warned that any country-specific exception for the Group's membership will be detrimental to the credibility of the global non-proliferation regime. In her inaugural address to a two-day international seminar on "The Present and Future of Strategic Export Controls" organized by the Strategic Export Control Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she said Pakistan has declared voluntary adherence to the guidelines of the NSG and, has submitted its application for the Group's membership.
"Our application is based on merit and grounded in sound technical capabilities. Pakistan has a complete program to harness the full potential of nuclear energy for peaceful applications," she asserted. She said Pakistan possess the expertise, infrastructure, human resource, as well as the ability to supply items listed in NSG Part-I and Part-II, adding that Pakistan has a long tradition of international scientific collaborations.
In addition to being actively involved in IAEA's activities, she said for decades Pakistan has been contributing and regularly participating in the projects of European Organization for Nuclear Research known as CERN and its theoretical and nuclear experiments. Pakistan became the first country in the region to gain associate membership of CERN in 2014, she said, adding that the country also interacts with the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO), CANDU Owners Group and World Nuclear Association with regards to enhancing safety of the nuclear power plants.
"As a country with significant nuclear program and the ability to supply items controlled by the NSG, Pakistan's participation will further the non-proliferation objectives of the Group," she asserted, adding that Pakistan would be willing to consider any objective and non-discriminatory criteria that the NSG agrees for membership of the non-NPT States, and applies fairly.
However, she said any country-specific exception for NSG membership, that overrides the long-established principles and norms, will be detrimental to the credibility of the global non-proliferation regime. She pointed out the NSG waiver in 2008 has neither benefited the non-proliferation regime nor the objective of maintaining regional strategic stability.
"In fact, since then we have seen rapid increase in military nuclear capabilities in our neighbourhood, including the nuclearization of the Indian Ocean, development of new inter-continental ballistic missiles and induction of other destabilizing weapon systems," she added. "Pakistan's call for restraint, responsibility and avoidance of arms race, have not been able to moderate the pursuit of aggressive force postures and offensive security doctrines," Janjua said, adding that the NSG is again at a critical juncture on the issue of membership of non-NPT states.
"It is important that the NSG can be seen as a rule-based organization rather than a grouping which is driven by commercial and political considerations," she added. The foreign secretary further stated that Pakistan is facing acute power shortage as it is a fossil fuel deficient country. In order to meet its enormously increasing energy needs and to support sustained economic growth and industrial development, reliance on civil nuclear energy is an imperative, she added.
"The energy requirement is expected to grow by a factor of 7 over the next two decades. Therefore, our national goal envisages expansion in the nuclear energy capacity to 50,000MW by 2050, as nuclear power is a clean and cost-effective alternative to fossil fuel," she added. She said adherence to global non-proliferation and nuclear safety and security standards and regime harmonization should further enhance international confidence and facilitate international cooperation in nuclear power generation and collaboration in health, industry, agriculture and other sectors.
The foreign secretary said Pakistan remains fully committed to the objectives of non-proliferation and disarmament, adding, "We share the global concern regarding the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and the threat they pose to international peace and security." Accordingly, she added, Pakistan recognizes the necessity of exercising effective controls over the transfer of sensitive goods and technologies to prevent their misuse and diversion to non-peaceful uses.
"At the same time, all states have a legitimate interest in accessing dual-use technologies for genuine socio-economic development needs," she added. She said for a country like Pakistan, with emerging public and private sector technology industry, a balance between legitimate trade and security concerns is essential to safeguard both security and economic interests.
"Pakistan takes it international commitments on non-proliferation very seriously," she said, adding that Pakistan is fully implementing its obligations as a state party to various international instruments including the Chemical Weapons Convention, Biological Weapons Convention, Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and Facilities, nuclear safety conventions and the IAEA Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources.
She pointed out that Pakistan recently subscribed to the IAEA Supplementary Guidance on the Import and Export of Radioactive Sources. "We also actively participate in the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT)," she said, adding Pakistan regularly shares reports to the UN Security Council 1540 Committee on the implementation of the SC Resolution 1540.
Over the years, Janjua added Pakistan has streamlined and strengthened its export control system and enhanced its engagement with multilateral export control regimes. She asserted that Pakistan's export control regime is consistent with the standards followed by the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG), Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and Australia Group.
"Export Controls in Pakistan are underpinned by legislative instruments, Control Lists, comprehensive Licensing and Enforcement Rules and Guidelines on Strategic Export Controls," she said. She pointed out that an independent Strategic Export Control Division and its Oversight Board were set up in 2007 to oversee the implementation of export controls. Due attention is given to the utilization of latest detection technologies and capacity building of frontline officials in enforcement, she added.
She said the elements of nuclear security in Pakistan include robust command and control system led by the National Command Authority (NCA), rigorous regulatory regime, comprehensive export controls and international cooperation. Janjua further said the 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 and border controls.
"National plans are in place to deal with possible radiological emergencies through an elaborate Nuclear Emergency Management System (NEMS)," she said, adding that a state of the art Centre of Excellence on Nuclear Security (PCENS) has been established, which has grown into a regional and international hub, with support of the IAEA. She recalled that in March 2018, the DG IAEA visited Pakistan's nuclear facilities and appreciated the standards of safety and security being implemented by Pakistan.
The two-day event is aimed at reinforcing networking among export control community and strengthening engagements for promoting regional and international cooperation against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and their delivery systems.
Independent experts and representatives from different regions and countries (including from states which are members of NSG), international export control regimes, UNSCR-1540 Committee, academia and industry are taking part in the seminar. Earlier, DG SECDIV Dr Zafar Ali dilated on the purpose and agenda of the seminar. More than 200 local and foreign invitees are taking part in the seminar. The seminar reflects Pakistan's proactive engagement with the international community to strengthen the global non-proliferation architecture.