India's assertions on nuclear proliferation are dubious, says Pakistan

The Pakistani government has rejected India's claim about its disbarment record as "dubious" and accused New Delhi of spearheading nuclear proliferation in South Asia and provoking regional and global tensions.

The Pakistani delegate to the conference on disarmament, currently meeting in Geneva, Mohammad Omar, told the conference,"It is India which dealt a death blow to the non=proliferation norms by conducting its first nuclear test in 1974, followed by additional nuclear tests in 1998."

According to Omar, the test was conducted by diverting material from CIRUS reactor, which was in violation of India's contracts with its suppliers.

He made the remarks in response to a statement by Indian Ambassador Pankaj Sharma in which he criticized the Pakistani counterpart for raising the Jammu and Kashmir issue within bilateral and regional contexts. Shala claimed that New Delhi's role in disarmament as well as its credentials were worthy of praise.

Moreover, he emphasized that Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of India and accused Pakistan of exporting terrorism on purpose.

Mr Omar, who works at the Pakistan Mission to the UN in Geneva, exercised his right of reply to point out that India had opposed formalising a moratorium on nuclear tests in South Asia.

"Despite its ritualistic support to the so-called FMCT (Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty), India has neither declared a moratorium on fissile material production nor created it. In fact, India continues to exponentially expand production by building new fast breeder reactors, which also amassing tonnes of fissile material stocks in the so-called strategic reserves. India remains the leading opponent of proposals to incorporate existing stockpiles in the scope of a treaty on fissile materials," he said.

In response, Pakistan said that its opposition to including fissile materials does not square with the claim of New Delhi's support for nuclear disarmament.

He emphasized that "Unlike India, Pakistan has not violated any of its international commitments of safeguards obligations in the development of its civil and military nuclear programme to this day."

Asked about Kashmir, the Pakistani delegate accused India of depriving Kashmir's people of their right to self-determination.

He noted that India has suppressed the inalienable right of Kashmiris to self-determination for 75 years, a right which is enshrined in the UN Charter and recognized by a multitude of international covenants and UN General Assembly resolutions.

"And yet with such atrocious record of defying international legality, India harbors ambitions of becoming a permanent member of UN Security Council," he added.

Additionally, Pakistan claimed India had nourished terrorist groups designated as terrorist by the UN, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, and utilized them to cause unrest in Pakistan.