ISLAMABAD, Dec 14: The National Command Authority (NCA), which comprises the country’s top political and military leadership, declared on Tuesday that Pakistan would never accept any compromise on its nuclear deterrence and ruled out signing the Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT).
The NCA decided at a meeting, presided over by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, that Pakistan would not be a party to any approach that was prejudicial to its legitimate national security interests.
“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. “Revisionism based on strategic, political or commercial considerations accentuates asymmetries and would perpetuate instability, especially in South Asia,” the NCA observed.
An official said the assertion was a manifestation of Pakistans position on the issue of the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT).
“We believe that the FMCT would be meaningless till an understanding is reached on the existing stocks of fissionable material.”
He stressed that the FMCT was critical for future credibility of the country’s nuclear deterrence.
The NCA is the apex body mandated to have complete command and control over research, development, production and use of nuclear and space technologies and to ensure the security and safety of nuclear establishments and materials.
The meeting was attended by key federal ministers, the chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff Committee, the services chiefs and senior officials.
It reviewed recent global and regional developments and their implications for national security.
The NCA underscored that peace and security were indivisible and that the goals of non-proliferation could only be advanced by ensuring equal and undiminished security for all states. “Regional balance and strategic stability in South Asia are indispensable for peace, sustained development and prosperity of the region and beyond.”
It stressed that Pakistan was fully cognisant of its responsibilities as a nuclear weapon state and had set up effective and robust command and control structures and comprehensive export control and regulatory regimes that were compatible with international best practices and global regimes and acknowledged internationally.
The NCA said Pakistan shared the goals of non-proliferation and was prepared to work with other nuclear powers on an equal footing to advance these goals.
As a state with advanced nuclear technology, Pakistan was also prepared to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear technology under the appropriate International Atomic Energy Agency framework, it said.
The authority expressed satisfaction on the pace of development and effectiveness of Pakistans strategic deterrence. It reaffirmed that all requisite steps would be taken to ensure national security and maintain credible deterrence.
