Summit process hailed: Pakistan reiterates commitment to enhancing nuclear security

Pakistan on Tuesday welcoming the Nuclear Security Summit process termed it a catalyst for fostering nuclear security culture and reiterated its commitment to the objective of enhancing nuclear security. In a statement issued on the occasion of second Nuclear Security Summit being held here Pakistan, he said the nuclear security was a national responsibility of every country.
Pakistan urged the international community to explore space for co-operation on nuclear security through voluntary national actions and in pursuance of international obligations. In the statement, Pakistan said, the existing international nuclear security framework was quite extensive which covered the measures taken by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the United Nations as well as various conventions and initiatives.
Pakistan is of the view that Summit participants agree that there is no need to create new, parallel institutions or mechanisms for nuclear security. "The Summit process enables us to look at the bigger picture", Pakistan observed in its statement. Pakistan said, "We reaffirm the essential responsibility and central role of the IAEA."
Highlighting Pakistan's important pillars its nuclear security regime, the statement projected that due to these pillars, Pakistan has well defined, robust and control system, comprising the National Command Authority, the Strategic Plans Division and the Strategic Forces Commands. Referring to security measures, Pakistan stated that a rigorous regulatory regime covered all matters related to nuclear safety and security, including physical protection of materials and facilities, material control and accounting, transport security, prevention of illicit trafficking and border control.
Through the statement Pakistan informed the international community that Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority regulated the safety and security of civilian nuclear materials and facilities and worked with close co-operation with IAEA. Pakistan said it had also established a comprehensive export control regime and its export control laws were at par with the standards followed by the Nuclear Supplier's Group, the Missile Technology Control Regime and the Australia Group.
Pakistan stated that since the Washington Summit, it has established Training Academy to conduct specialist courses in physical protection and personnel reliability. A school has been established by Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority for nuclear and radiation safety and now in the process of establishing Nuclear Security Training Centre and offered training facilities to the international community.
Pakistan stated that it had also carried out detailed assessment of its nuclear power plants following the Fukushima accident and revisited safety parameters of nuclear plants. Last year, Pakistan also renewed its Nuclear Security Action Plan which has been implementing since 2006. Pakistan has also developed Radiation Emergency Response Mechanism with the assistance of IAEA.
Pakistan also informed the international community that it was in the process of deploying Special Nuclear Material Portals on key exit and entry points to detect, deter, and prevent illicit trafficking on nuclear and radioactive materials. Pakistan has also claimed that it has been actively working in the global initiative to combat nuclear terrorism and preparing guidelines on nuclear detection architecture and nuclear forensics.
Pakistan also conveyed to the international community that it had more than 37 years of experience in safe reactor operations and ready to assist interested states with the experiences and expertise Pakistan had gained in the areas of nuclear security. Pakistan claiming its right to qualify to become a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group and export control regimes on a non-discriminatory basis said that safe and sustainable civil nuclear energy is essential to advancing its economic development.