Web Desk: Pakistan has raised strong concerns about a new uranium supply and nuclear technology cooperation agreement between India and Canada. Officials in Pakistan warned that the deal could disturb the strategic balance in South Asia and could also weaken the credibility of the global nuclear non proliferation system.
Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said that Pakistan is deeply worried about the long term uranium supply agreement and possible cooperation in advanced nuclear technologies between India and Canada. He explained that the cooperation may include the development or supply of small modular reactors and other advanced nuclear reactor technologies.
Pakistan believes that this agreement reflects another example of giving special exceptions to a specific country in the field of civilian nuclear cooperation. According to the statement such selective treatment creates the impression of discrimination within the global nuclear non proliferation framework.
Pakistan also reminded the international community about the nuclear test carried out by India in 1974. That test played a key role in the creation of the global export control system for nuclear materials and technologies. Officials pointed out that the plutonium used in that test came from a reactor that Canada had originally supplied for peaceful purposes.
After that incident the global community established strict systems to monitor the export of nuclear materials and technologies. Pakistan says that providing preferential nuclear cooperation to the same country now raises serious questions about fairness and consistency in the global non proliferation regime.
Pakistan also expressed concerns about transparency and oversight. The Foreign Office noted that India has not placed all of its civilian nuclear facilities under international monitoring. Several facilities remain outside the inspection system of the International Atomic Energy Agency. This situation raises concerns about whether there is complete transparency regarding the use of nuclear materials and technology.
Officials warned that the strategic impact of this agreement could be serious. If India receives a continuous supply of uranium from external sources then it may reserve its domestic uranium resources for military purposes. This could increase the amount of weapons usable nuclear material available to India.
Security analysts believe that such a development could disturb the nuclear balance in South Asia and might trigger a new arms race in the region. Pakistan argues that agreements like this can make existing security concerns in the region even more complicated.
Pakistan also questioned Canada’s commitment to the global non proliferation system. The statement stressed that all nuclear cooperation agreements should follow clear principles of transparency fairness and international law.
Pakistan repeated its position that civilian nuclear cooperation arrangements must follow non discriminatory and criteria based mechanisms. These principles should apply equally to all states that are not part of the global nuclear non proliferation treaty.
Pakistan warned that policies that grant special concessions to selected countries could damage the credibility of the global non proliferation system. Such actions may increase instability and create new risks for regional and international peace and security.
Finally Pakistan urged the international community to act responsibly to maintain strategic stability in South Asia and to strengthen the global system designed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.
