THE Nuclear Security Index 2023, which ranks the security of nuclear materials worldwide, has upgraded Pakistan’s status. According to the report, the majority of improvements were in the security of materials and controls. The forum ranked Pakistan above India, Iran and North Korea in terms of its handling of hazardous material, showing that the country had gained more points since the last assessment and was number 19 on the list of 22 states. In security of facilities, Pakistan is ranked 32; tied with Russia and Israel, and above India, Iran, Mexico, South Africa, Egypt, North Korea and a few others.
The latest report is yet another living proof of the fact that the nuclear programme of Pakistan was in safe hands. Pakistan has always demonstrated responsible behaviour as a nuclear power state by vigilantly controlling and maintaining the safety and security of its strategic assets. As for the civilian side of the programme, it is fully covered by the standards set by the global nuclear watchdog – the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) while it has repeatedly been acknowledged even by the United States that the country has a robust nuclear command and control system. On becoming a nuclear weapons state, Pakistan interacted with friendly countries to upgrade and improve different aspects of nuclear safety and security and as a result its system is so comprehensive that it attracts praises from those who lose no opportunity to criticize the nuclear programme of Pakistan for reasons other than logic and fair-play. Propaganda against Pakistan’s nuclear programme is nothing new and is unlikely to evaporate because of the policy of nuclear apartheid adopted by some powerful countries that are in a virtual race to offer all kinds of technologies to India but deny similar cooperation to Pakistan. Initially, they criticized Pakistan for making an ‘Islamic bomb’, then accused it of pursuing the world’s fastest growing nuclear weapons programme and then raising the spectre of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons and materials finding their way to terrorists and extremists. Venomous propaganda notwithstanding, Pakistan proved its credentials as a responsible nuclear power state by establishing a comprehensive nuclear security regime based on an extensive legislation and regulatory framework governing the security of nuclear materials, radioactive substances, associated facilities and activities. It was because of the comprehensive nature of the security regime that not a single incident of the theft or smuggling of the nuclear materials was reported in Pakistan as against India where dozens of such incidents were reported. The Nuclear Security Index 2023 is, therefore, a reflection of this reality and should form the basis for the end of nuclear discrimination.
