Pakistan has called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to thoroughly investigate the recurring incidents of theft and illicit sale of nuclear and other radioactive materials in its eastern neighboring country.
The call was made by Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Munir Akram while speaking during an open briefing on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1540, according to a Radio Pakistan’s report.
This resolution requires the UN member states to take specific steps to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Ambassador Munir Akram reiterated Pakistan’s demand for a thorough probe into these incidents and asked the Security Council to put in place adequate measures to prevent their recurrence. He emphasized that these incidents suggest that there is an existence of a black market for sensitive materials.
Ambassador Munir Akram also reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to non-proliferation and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1540. He said that as a responsible nuclear power, Pakistan has successfully implemented its obligations under the resolution.
He underscored the importance of preserving states’ rights to the peaceful use of dual-use technologies and called for a balanced approach in export control regimes to ensure they are not used as tools of coercion or discrimination.
The Pakistan’s UN envoy suggested that the Security Council or the General Assembly should establish an all-inclusive open-ended Working Group to ensure equitable access to technologies and to address cases of denial, which are discriminatory and impede development.
