Pakistan emphasized the need for a balance between managing emerging hazards and maintaining access to new technology for all countries.
Pakistan reminded the international community that nuclear weapons and their delivery systems no longer exist in isolation; they “co-exist with other advanced weapon systems in diverse sectors” during a week-long discussion on WMD at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA).
As a result, according to Pakistani delegate Khalil Hashmi, “the discourse on nuclear disarmament can no longer be ignorant to the mutually reinforcing interaction of multiple weapon systems and their aggregate influence on the security of states.”
Ambassador Hashmi, who represents Pakistan at the UN office in Geneva, travelled to New York to take part in the UNGA debate.
The potential dual nature of emerging technology, he cautioned, “should not be exploited as an excuse for proscribing or restricting their availability to developing countries.”
Mr. Hashmi, who participated in the thematic debate on nuclear weapons, brought up “the requirement for establishing a more durable and equitable international security architecture” as well as the issue of the imbalance in conventional balance.
On October 14, a day after US President Joe Biden made contentious comments concerning Pakistan and its nuclear capabilities, the UNGA’s discussion of nuclear weapons started. On October 13, President Biden shocked everyone when he said, “What I think is maybe one of the most dangerous nations in the world: Pakistan,” while speaking at a Democratic fundraiser in California. Then he gave his justification for believing Pakistan to be dangerous: “Nuclear weapons without any cohesion.”
Both the government and the opposition in Pakistan condemned the remarks after they incited uproar. Tuesday saw the release of an extraordinary statement from Pakistan’s senior military leadership assuring the world that the nation’s nuclear weapons and materials were secure in compliance with international standards.
Since then, the US State Department and White House have made a number of statements on the subject, reassuring Islamabad that the US has faith in Pakistan’s capacity to protect its nuclear assets and is looking for a strong collaboration with the nation to combat international terrorism.
Pakistan gave the world assurances that it had a reliable command and control system and that its nuclear weapons were absolutely secure during the UNGA discussion.
Pakistan, however, issued a warning to the world, saying that “nuclear hazards are increasing and the prospects of a nuclear war are once again within the realm of possibility.”
The Pakistani representative noted that, as “evident by the constant shifting of goal posts towards more non-proliferation measures,” nuclear disarmament was still largely unmet.
