ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has conveyed to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) its intention to subscribe to the Guidance on the Import & Export of Radioactive Sources. The foreign office said on Wednesday that the Guidance supplements the code of conduct on the Safety & Security of Radioactive Sources which, although non-legally binding in nature, is an important component of the global nuclear safety and security regime. The code of conduct seeks to help countries ensure that radioactive sources are used in a manner consistent with the highest standards of safety and security. Pakistan has been voluntarily adhering to the Code of Conduct since 2005 and has put in place all the necessary arrangements and systems consistent with the recommendations of the code. The supplementary guidance is aimed at enhancing the safety of radioactive sources during transfer from one state to another, in accordance with their respective national legislation and relevant international commitments. Pakistan’s subscription to the Supplementary Guidance on the Import & Export of Radioactive Sources, demonstrates its continued commitment to the latest international standards in the areas of nuclear non-proliferation, safety and security. Pakistan has run a safe and secure and peaceful nuclear programme for more than four decades. Over the years, experts from Pakistan have also contributed to the work of the IAEA in the fields of nuclear safety and security. Foreign Office Spokesperson Muhammad Faisal, in a statement, said that Pakistan had been voluntarily implementing the Code of Conduct since 2005. “Pakistan’s subscription to the Supplementary Guidance on the Import and Export of Radioactive Sources demonstrates its continued commitment to the latest international standards in the areas of nuclear non-proliferation, safety and security,” he added.
Published in Daily Times, February 22nd 2018.
