US support for India's NSG membership undermining strategic stability in South Asia: Mazari

ISLAMABAD: Human Rights Minister Dr Shireen Mazari on Monday said that Pakistan is confronting discrimination at international level in the nuclear field, ARY News reported.

Chairing the first session on the Future of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Regime at the International Conference on “Global Non-Proliferation Regime: Challenges and Response”, the minister maintained that discriminatory instruments in Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and policy regarding the new entrant states was a challenge for Pakistan.

“Increasing arms race in South Asia. India’s Ballistic Missile Defence System and US support for India’s NSG membership are undermining strategic stability in South Asia and Pakistan would not join the Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in prevailing situation,” said Mazari.

Dr Mazari said that there are problems with the NPT indicating that those who need to implement it are violating it.

“US and other signatories have violated the Article 1 and 2 of NPT by signing new deals with India. With this attitude, countries outside the NPT cannot join it,” the minister explained.

Shireen Mazari added that the world has to stop overlooking and should start discussion on Israel’s nuclear program for any progress on non-proliferation.

“No one talks about Israel’s nuclear program, we have to start discussing Israel’s program if we wish to make any progress on non-proliferation,” said Mazari.

She expressed the confidence that the conference would help the participants understand the point of view of different countries about nuclear non-proliferation.

The conference is being organized by the Strategic Studies Institute Islamabad. Experts from Iran, Russia, UK, France, China, Egypt and US along with Pakistani experts are attending the conference.