Pak Hopeful That India Will Adhere To Ban on Nuclear Testing

Both India and Pakistan are nuclear powers and contenders for NSG membership but none have signed the NPT.

A bilateral arrangement would be legally binding and difficult to withdraw unilaterally. (Photo: Reuters)

Pakistan said it was hopeful of a bilateral agreement with India over the mutual ban on the testing of nuclear weapons.

Pakistan said that the ban might be able to ease the countries’ way into the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

An offer regarding non-testing of nuclear weapons agreement has already been made but “the proposal did not elicit a favourable response from India”, Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson said.

The spokesperson also said that Pakistan had proposed a “simultaneous adherence to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)” to India following the 1998 nuclear tests by both countries.

Once again, in the larger interest of peace and stability in the region, as also in the global context, Pakistan has indicated the possibility that the two countries may consider a bilateral arrangement.

Foreign Office Spokesperson from Pakistan

Such an accord “could set the tone for further mutually agreed measures on restraint and avoidance of arms race in South Asia”, he said.

Both India and Pakistan are nuclear powers. But they have not signed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) or Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the global agreements for banning all atomic explosions for military or civilian purposes.

The two countries have announced unilateral moratoriums on nuclear tests. However, such moratoriums are voluntary and legally non-binding and could be withdrawn.

A bilateral arrangement would be legally binding and difficult to withdraw unilaterally, the spokesperson said.