The Hague: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has called for his country’s inclusion in all international export control regimes, especially the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
Speaking in the third Nuclear Security Summit at The Hague, Sharif said the country had been running a safe and secure civil nuclear programme for more than 40 years. He added they attached the highest importance to nuclear security as it was directly linked to national security.
The summit has leaders from 53 countries in attendance, including, the UN, the EU, International Atomic Energy Agency and Interpol.
Sharif assured the gathering that Pakistan “is a responsible nuclear state and pursues a policy of nuclear restraint, as well as credible minimum deterrenceâ€.
“Our region needs peace and stability for economic development that benefits its people. That is why, I strongly advocate nuclear restraint, balance in conventional forces and ways to resolve conflicts,” the prime minister said.
Pakistan is a party to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM). They also work closely with the IAEA to deal with the safety and security of radioactive sources and illicit trafficking of nuclear materials.
Sharif said Pakistan regularly submitted reports to the UN Security Council’s 1540 Committee on the measures the country took to exercise control over transfer of sensitive materials and technologies.