Washington: Pakistan has said it fully shares global concerns that nuclear materials must never fall into "wrong hands" and underlined that renewed interest in nuclear energy worldwide necessitates more preparedness.
"Nuclear materials must never fall into the wrong hands. This is a global concern which Pakistan fully shares," Special Assistant to Pakistan Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi said in an intervention during a dinner hosted by US President Barack Obama at the White House yesterday.
The dinner kicked off the two-day Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, which is being attended by leaders from more than 50 countries, including the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif cancelled his trip to Washington to attend this summit in the wake of the terrorist attack in Lahore that claimed over 70 lives.
Representing Pakistan in the absence of Sharif, Fatemi said renewed interest in nuclear energy worldwide implies more nuclear materials and facilities necessitating more preparedness.
"It is equally important to remain alive to the potential threat of radiological dispersal devices. This threat is not limited to states with significant nuclear programmes.
Radioactive sources are being employed everywhere in the private sector, hospitals, industry and research," he said. "Facilities hosting such materials are often more vulnerable. There is, therefore, the need for vigilance and preparedness in all places. Emergency preparedness and response constitutes effective deterrence against malicious acts. This requires significant training efforts, including those by nuclear security centres developed by states," Fatemi said.
