ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry has said that people of Pakistan are the owners of Pakistan’s nuclear program which is meant only for its defence as a sovereign nation.
In his address at a Conference titled ‘Assessing South Asia’s Nuclear Security’ organized by Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS) in Islamabad on Thursday, the foreign secretary said that credible minimum deterrence remains our principle and as a sovereign country we take every step for the defence of our motherland if any strategic partnership or alliance threats our security and regional stability.
The foreign secretary said that Pakistan has and will always abide by its commitments to International obligations as a nuclear power.
Chaudhry said that as a peaceful country Pakistan has always voiced its desire for strategic stability and urges all regional partners to utilize resources for economic development instead of furthering nuclearization in the region that in turn usher insecurity in the region.
Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said that Pakistan qualifies the membership for Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and has mobilized the member countries for supporting the cause. He hoped that political and commercial motives will not hinder Pakistan’s membership for the NSG.
The foreign secretary said that Pakistan has urged the international community and particularly the United States to shun discriminatory practices in the context of nuclear and defence ties as it jeopardizes the stability of whole region.
Referring to recent US-India defence deal, he said that we have no comments for the bilateral relations of any country if these do not undermine our security and stability of the region.
Chaudhry said that Pakistan is a responsible nuclear state and its nuclear assets are safe and regularized by an autonomous body which is Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority. He said that Pakistan is a staunch advocate of nuclear non-proliferation at international level and believes in amicable solution of all disputes.
In the context of India and Pakistan bilateral relations he said that both countries need to bolster the Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) to reach pragmatic solutions for their long standing disputes. He said that belief in dialogue is the only way possible to keep the relations at a positive trajectory.
