23rd Meeting of the National Command Authority (NCA) was held
under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on 21 December, 2017. The meeting was attended by the Federal
Ministers of Defence and Interior, Chairman JSC, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of
Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Director General Strategic Plans Division,
Director General Inter Services Intelligence, Secretary Foreign Affairs and
other senior officials.
The NCA was briefed comprehensively on the strategic
environment. NCA took stock of the regional security environment and in this regard,
noted with concern certain destabilizing actions in Pakistan’s neighborhood,
which undermine the objective of maintaining strategic stability in South Asia.
These include the massive arms build-up in the conventional domain,
nuclearization of the Indian Ocean Region and plans for the development /
deployment of BMD. While
expressing full confidence in Pakistan’s capability to address any form of
aggression, the NCA reiterated Pakistan’s policy of developing and maintaining
Full Spectrum Deterrence, in line with the policy of Credible Minimum
Deterrence and avoidance of arms race. The NCA congratulated the scientists and
engineers on their contributions to strengthen national defence capabilities.
It appreciated the technological sophistication demonstrated during the tests
of Babur III SLCM and Ababeel Missile System, which have ushered a new era in
technological sophistication of Pakistan’s strategic capabilities. The NCA took
a detailed review of the Nuclear Security Regime and expressed full confidence
in command and control systems and security measures in-place to ensure
comprehensive stewardship and security of strategic assets and materials. It
re-affirmed that, as a responsible nuclear State, Pakistan would continue to
contribute meaningfully towards the global efforts to improve nuclear security
and nuclear non-proliferation measures.
The NCA appreciated the high standards of training and
operational readiness of the strategic forces to meet all kinds of threats. The
NCA asserted that Pakistan desires peaceful co-existence in the region and will
endeavor to work with its neighbors to ensure strategic stability in South
Asia. The NCA noted with satisfaction,
the implementation of national comprehensive export control measures, which are
in line with international export control regimes. It reiterated that Pakistan
has the requisite credentials to become part of various non-proliferation
regimes, including the NSG, for which Pakistan seeks adoption of a
non-discriminatory criteria based approach.
The NCA was also briefed on National Space
Programme – 2047 and ‘Nuclear Power Programme’ for peaceful uses of nuclear
technology, to meet growing energy needs. NCA fully endorsed both these
programmes, as these are essential for future national socio-economic
prosperity and growth. NCA particularly noted the potential of space programme
in all most all current and emerging civilian sectors, ensuring resource
generation and optimization. The role of nuclear applications in the fields of
health, agriculture, medicine and industry was deeply appreciated. The NCA
reiterated Pakistan’s interest in expanding international cooperation in these
areas and play a positive role towards achieving the Sustainable Development
Goals as a provider of expertise and services in peaceful nuclear application.
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