Pakistan re-elected as OPCW' executive council member

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office Spokesman  Dr Muhammad Faisal on Friday announced Pakistan has been re-elected as a member of the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for another two-year term, ARY NEWS reported.

The foreign office said that the candidature was endorsed by the Conference of States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) which was held in The Hague.

He said that the country’s re-election to the Executive Council is a testimony to its commitment and contribution to strengthening the role of the OPCW and in promoting the goals of international peace and security through chemical weapons disarmament and non-proliferation.

Pakistan was one of the original signatories of the CWC and has made consistent efforts to promote the objectives and purposes of the convention. Pakistan has been an active member of the OPCW and has served as a member of the OPCW Executive Council since 1997.

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The country regularly holds international training and capacity-building events for experts from around the world on various technical aspects on the implementation of the CWC.

Pakistan also regularly conducts basic and advanced regional and international assistance and protection courses at its Chemical Weapons Convention Regional Assistance and Protection Center, which was formally inaugurated by the Director General of the OPCW in 2015.

Moreover, Pakistan has also contributed to the implementation of the CWC through the provision of staff, inspectors and technical experts to the OPCW. Pakistan has also established an OPCW designated laboratory.