'Nuke cooperation must be non-discriminatory'

Without mentioning the Indo-US nuclear deal, Pakistan told the United Nations General Assembly that a 'non-discriminatory, criteria-based approach' should be adopted in extending cooperation in the field of civilian nuclear energy to help the developing countries in meeting their energy demands.

Speaking in the General Assembly on the annual report of the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, Pakistan's Acting Permanent Representative to the UN Farukh Amil stressed full compliance by all States with their respective safeguards obligations.

"But, the Agency's safeguards should not be used to serve partisan political objectives," he said.

The United States denied a similar deal to Islamabad despite hard-selling by the country of its commitment to International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards and safety, and security of its nuclear

programme and installations.

Pakistan earned international ire over the revelation that the 'father' of its nuclear programme Abdul Qadeer Khan was involved in a clandestine nuclear black market. The disgraced scientist confessed to selling nuclear secrets and materials to Iran, North Korea and Libya.

Pakistan considered nuclear power generation an indispensable element of its national energy security strategy, Amil said.

The government had launched a 25-year energy security plan to respond to the high growth rate and rising demand for energy. "As we seek to operationalise our Energy Security Plan, we envisage the import of nuclear plants and other relevant civilian nuclear technology," he said.

Amil said Pakistan accorded highest importance to the safety and security of its nuclear installations, particularly as it expanded its nuclear capacities. Among other things, it had strengthened security around its installations.