NEW YORK – Pakistan’s ambassador to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi has urged the Nuclear Suppliers Group to adopt a more objective and non-discriminatory approach for allowing entry of Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) applicant countries into the Group.
Lodhi stated this while taking part in a debate regarding non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the UN Security Council, Radio Pakistan reported.
She highlighted that extending discriminatory waivers to some countries posed a challenge to the rules and regulations of non-proliferation in the world.
Such biased behaviour obviously brought proliferation risks, she said, adding that there is also the possibility that material, which should be used for peace, could be for military purposes.
Speaking on the occasion, United Nations disarmament Chief Izumi Nakamitsu called for strengthened international cooperation to prevent anti-peace elements from accessing and using destructive weapons.
India’s Bid
India submitted an application to the NSG for the first time in May 2015 seeking membership but it has not been considered by the member states. Specially, China has repeatedly stonewalled India’s admission in the NSG, a move that has become a major stumbling block in bilateral relations between the two countries. Beijing says if India could be let in, why not its “all weather” ally Pakistan.
Nuclear Suppliers Group
Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is a group of nuclear supplier countries that seeks to prevent nuclear proliferation by controlling the export of materials, equipment and technology that can be used to manufacture nuclear weapons.
