Nuclear Program of Pakistan, its Safety and Security; International Concerns

 

Introduction

It is a fact that consequent to the overt nuclearization of India, Pakistan had no choice but to follow to redress the strategic balance on which peace and security in South Asia depends. It is also an indisputable fact that Pakistan’s nuclear capability, assisted by the conventional capability, has been the main factor for limiting crises with India from spiraling to unwanted levels. A key example was that the Indian coercive arms buildup on Pak-India borders in 2000-2001 neither achieved its aims, nor led to an outbreak of all-out war.
At the same time, the very possession of nuclear weapons carries with it an overriding national and international responsibility that these weapons, assets, materials, and technologies on which they are based, are under strong and fail safe custodial and operational control, that their purpose is meant to deter and that they would only be used in an ‘in extremist’ necessity. In essence, every nuclear state has to credibly demonstrate and project that it is ‘a responsible nuclear state.’
On this particular premise, Pakistan’s nuclear program has been the focus of discussion in national and international media, think tanks, and officials of global powers. More often than not, foreign state and non-state organizations and agencies raise certain questions and concerns, in one way or another, over the safety and security of Pakistan’s nuclear assets, fissile material, and technological knowledge, as well as Pakistan’s role in the international fora, such as Conference on Disarmament (CD). 

Global Concerns
An important global concern about nuclear weapons and nuclear capabilities in general revolves around the potential threat of nuclear terrorism. The extent of such a threat, its use to enforce controls—both national and plurilateral—and also as a pressure point may be debated. However, the concern is real and has to be appreciated and met.
The IAEA in the context of potential nuclear terrorism has highlighted four key areas:
• Theft of a nuclear weapon
• Theft of material to make an improvised nuclear explosive device
• Theft of other radioactive material for an RDD
• Sabotage of a facility or transport
In the context of Pakistan, there have been concerns regarding the nuclear security of Pakistan in general, based on a number of assumptions. The perceived threats to Pakistan’s nuclear assets, which have been highlighted by the western media and academics, revolve around four main scenarios.
1. Extremist government in Power
2. Radicals’ take over
3. Terrorist attacks on nuclear installations
4. The insider dimension

Pakistan’s Nuclear Safety and Security System

An examination of the evolution of nuclear safety and security system in Pakistan shows that the country is not standing still on what it has achieved in the field of safeguarding its assets and capabilities. There is a constant process of reviewing all aspects of controls with a view of improving them continually.

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Nuclear Program of Pakistan, its Safety and Security; International  Concerns