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| | GEO Pakistan | | NCA rejects biased attitude on nuke non-proliferation | Updated at: 1927 PST, Wednesday, January 13, 2010
 ISLAMABAD: The National Command Authority (NCA) has said that Pakistan will not accept any discrimination over nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament.
The NCA took serious note of recent statement by the Indian army chief. It said such irresponsible statements reflected a hegemonic mindset, oblivious of dangerous implications of adventurism in a nuclearized context.
The NCA met under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani to review matters of strategic importance to Pakistan.
This was the first NCA meeting which was chaired by democratically elected Prime Minister of Pakistan.
The NCA expressed satisfaction on the safety and security of Pakistan’s strategic assets and the effectiveness of Pakistan’s strategic deterrence. It emphasized the importance of Pakistan’s policy of credible minimum deterrence and the maintaining of strategic stability in South Asia.
It also reaffirmed Pakistan’s policy of restraint and responsibility and its resolve to continue efforts to promote peace and stability in South Asia. It underscored the need for prevention of conflict and avoidance of nuclear and conventional arms race in the region.
The NCA took note of the developments detrimental to the objectives of strategic stability in the region.
It observed that instead of responding positively to Pakistan’s proposal for a Strategic Restraint Regime in South Asia, India continues to pursue an ambitious militarization programme and offensive military doctrines.
Massive inductions of advanced weapon systems, including installation of ABMs, build-up of nuclear arsenal and delivery systems through ongoing and new programmes, assisted by some external quarters, offensive doctrines like ‘Cold Start’ and similar accumulations in the conventional realm, tend to destabilize the regional balance.
This relentless pursuit of military preponderance will have severe consequences for peace and security in South Asia as well as for the Indian Ocean region. Pakistan cannot be oblivious to these developments, it added.
The NCA further noted that the India-specific exemption made by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and subsequent nuclear fuel supply agreements with several countries, would enable India to produce substantial quantities of fissile material for nuclear weapons by freeing up its domestic resources.
The NCA reiterated that, while continuing to act with responsibility and avoiding an arms race, Pakistan will not compromise on its security interests and the imperative of maintaining a credible minimum deterrence. |  |
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