ISLAMABAD, Feb 10 (APP):The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Monday published a booklet on “Pakistan’s Nuclear Security Regime” wherein the country expressed its desire to continue working closely with the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) and its member states to ensure high level attention to the nuclear security.
The booklet has been published on the occasion of the third International Conference on Nuclear Security (ICONS) organized by the IAEA in Vienna on February 10-14.
“In the months and years ahead, Pakistan looks forward to working closely with the IAEA and its member states to ensure that nuclear security continues to receive the high level attention, appropriate salience in the Agency’s work, unfailing vigilance at the national level and robust international cooperation,” the booklet said, the copies of which were also being distributed among the participants of the ICONS.
The booklet is the second version of “Pakistan’s Nuclear Security Regime”, which was first published in form of a brochure on the sidelines of the second International Conference on Nuclear Security organized by the IAEA in 2016.
This step is part of Pakistan’s practice to share information on the measures taken to further strengthen nuclear security and to demonstrate the high-level attention that nuclear security continues to receive in Pakistan, a Foreign Office press release said.
According to the document, Pakistan had established a comprehensive and effective national nuclear security regime, which is at par with international standards and guidelines.
The regime is based on an extensive legislative and regulatory framework governing the security of nuclear materials, radioactive substances, associated facilities and activities. This is backed by strong institutions and organizations with the requisite authorities, resources and trained manpower for effective implementation.
Pakistan’s affiliated institutes at Centre of Excellence on nuclear security had transformed into an international hub for imparting training and sharing the best practices in the area of nuclear security.
It said Pakistan’s nuclear security arrangements had been recognized at the international level by several high ranking officials and experts.
The booklet highlights nuclear security systems and measures deployed by Pakistan in accordance with national and international obligations.
“Multi-layered defence is the cornerstone of Pakistan’s nuclear security architecture. A concept of 5Ds is followed to respond to these threats. These 5Ds include: deter, detect, delay, defend, and destroy,” it added.
It said relying on modern technological solutions and the requisite human resource, Pakistan was fully capable of preventing and responding to the entire spectrum of challenges encompassing physical protection, computer and information security, transport security as well as insider threat mitigation.
“We believe that the Agency’s undiminished focus on the promotion of peaceful uses of nuclear technologies, in particular through technical cooperation with the developing countries, can foster better appreciation and ownership for its activities in the field of nuclear security,” the booklet said.