Pakistan and nuclear security
By Masood Khan

Nuclear security is an area on which there should be no differences, no conflicting opinions. All states want nuclear security. A breach of nuclear security in any part of the world will have devastating consequences for all. We must therefore maintain constant vigilance; and invest in preventive measures to ensure security of all nuclear materials and facilities.Pakistan shares the global concerns on nuclear terrorism. It is equally important to remain alive to the potential radiological threat. Nuclear security within a state is a fundamental national responsibility. It is also a strategic global priority. It is our obligation to secure nuclear material, interdict illicit nuclear trafficking, and reduce nuclear terrorist threat by preventing terrorists and other non-state actors from acquiring nuclear material for malicious purposes. All nuclear materials and facilities should be protected at all times against theft, sabotage and unauthorised use. To sustain nuclear security, we need robust national legislative, regulatory, and administrative frameworks. We also need to work together as international community to achieve this objective. In this effort, we have to guard against both alarmism and complacency; and strike a fine balance between transparency and confidentiality. The two Nuclear Security Summits(NSS), hosted by the United States and the Republic of Korea in 2010 and 2012, respectively, have given huge impetus to nuclear security worldwide. These Summits, in which Pakistan participated actively, mark a historic watershed in enhancing political visibility of the issue and fostering nuclear security culture.The NSS process underlines how the political will to act can make a difference. The Summit process does not create a new mechanism. The tasks of implementation are with the individual states, the IAEA, and treaty regimes. Pakistan continues to be an active participant of the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) process. The NSS process has been a vital catalyst for nuclear security. At the same time, we call for broadening its base, with the passage of time, to make it more inclusive and representative. The IAEA, which has 159 members, should be given a key role in the Summit's successor arrangements after 2016. This agency has a central and leading role in the international nuclear security architecture. There is also need to enhance coordination amongst the different international processes under the Agency’s lead. Over the years, Pakistan has worked closely with the IAEA to strengthen nuclear security. We are implementing a Nuclear Security Action Plan in cooperation with the IAEA. Pakistan attaches the highest importance to ensuring safety and security of its nuclear programme. We have an unblemished record of running a safe, secure and safeguarded civil nuclear programme for the last forty years.Pakistan's nuclear materials, facilities and assets are safe and secure.Our nuclear security regime is anchored in the principle of multilayered defense for the entire spectrum of any nuclear security threat - insider, outsider, and cyber threats - and is guided by the concept of the Five Ds, that is, to deter, detect, delay, defend, and destroy.We have established extensive physical protection measures, robust Command and Control structures, comprehensive export controls and an effective regulatory regime to ensure safety and security of nuclear materials and installations. The National Command Authority, chaired by the Prime Minister, is the apex body that exercises command and control over all nuclear development, employment and security matters through its Secretariat - the Strategic Plans Division.As of today, an especially trained and skilled force of 25,000 nuclear security officials ensures the security of our nuclear assets. Besides, integrated intelligence component exercises vigil to provide depth in defense. Pakistan has gained rich experience in the field of nuclear security. We have established a Centre of Excellence that conducts specialized courses in nuclear security, physical protection and personnel reliability. Pakistan is ready to share its experiences, best practices and training facilities with other interested states in the region and beyond. Our security regime covers physical protection, material control and accounting, transport security, prevention of illicit trafficking, border controls, and radiological emergencies. The Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA), an independent body, regulates the safety and security of civilian nuclear materials and facilities. It works closely with the IAEA. We are currently deploying Radiation Portal Monitors at key exit and entry points to prevent illicit trafficking of radioactive and nuclear materials. Pakistan actively works with the international community.Pakistan is party to the Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM). We implement the latest IAEA Guidelines on Nuclear Security; and subscribe to the IAEA Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources, and the IAEA Illicit Trafficking Database (ITDB). Our cooperation in these areas has been most productive.For the security of radioactive sources, Pakistan is implementing a “cradle to grave” concept in accordance with IAEA Nuclear Security Series documents. Up to now, we have submitted to the Security Council Resolution 1540 Committee four reports that elaborate the measures we have taken for nuclear and radiological security, as well as on controls over transfer of sensitive materials and technologies.Pakistan has also been actively working in the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT). The Declaration we have adopted today sends a strong signal that all nations are united to ensure nuclear security under all circumstances. And the Agency is ready to play its rightful role. The Declaration affirms the responsibility of states to maintain effective security of all nuclear material under their control, which includes nuclear material used for military purposes. This affirmation, however, does not reinterpret, add to, or subtract from IAEA's Statute. Ultimately national measures guarantee our success. If nations move feebly or indifferently, nuclear risks increase many times. If they take robust measures, nuclear security regime is fortified. But nations do not act in isolation. They need to work together and learn from each other's experiences. The IAEA provides an ideal platform for such cooperation.

The writer is Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and chairman of United Nations Security Council’s Working Group on Peacekeeping.
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