ISLAMABAD – The National Command Authority has reiterated Pakistan’s policy of developing and maintaining Full Spectrum Deterrence (FSD) in order to meeting security challenges and stability in South Asia Region.
This was expressed during 23rd meeting of the NCA, which was held about after two years, under Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Thursday. The meeting affirmed that Pakistan will continue with this policy, “in line with the policy of Credible Minimum Deterrence and avoidance of arms race”.
The meeting was attended by Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Army Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa, Naval Chief Admiral Zafar Abbasi, Special Planning Division Director General Lt Gen Sarfraz Sattar and ISI chief Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar.
According to the ISPR, the NCA also re-affirmed that, “as a responsible nuclear State, Pakistan would continue to contribute meaningfully towards the global efforts to improve nuclear security and nuclear non-proliferation measures”.
It is to mention here that the meeting was held in the backdrop of the US willingness to strengthen strategic ties with India.
The NCA took stock of the regional security environment and in this regard, noted with concern certain destabilizing actions in Pakistan’s neighborhood, which undermine the objective of maintaining strategic stability in South Asia.
The ISPR stated, “These include the massive arms build-up in the conventional domain, nuclearization of the Indian Ocean Region and plans for the development / deployment of BMD”. The meeting also expressed full confidence in Pakistan’s capability to address any form of aggression.
“The NCA congratulated the scientists and engineers on their contributions to strengthen national defence capabilities. It appreciated the technological sophistication demonstrated during the tests of Babur III SLCM and Ababeel Missile System, which have ushered a new era in technological sophistication of Pakistan’s strategic capabilities.”
The NCA took a detailed review of the Nuclear Security Regime and expressed full confidence in command and control systems and security measures in-place to ensure comprehensive stewardship and security of strategic assets and materials.
The NCA appreciated the high standards of training and operational readiness of the strategic forces to meet all kinds of threats.
The NCA asserted that Pakistan desires peaceful co-existence in the region and will endeavor to work with its neighbors to ensure strategic stability in South Asia.
