Daily Times

The Strategic Studies Institute, Islamabad (SSII) is holding its annual summer school on Pakistan’s foreign and security policy from August 1-10, 2018.

Now in its fifth year, the summer school aims to build a new generation of experts on issues of foreign and economic policy. The summer school is an intensive, 10-day immersion in matters ranging from the changing global strategic environment to the global economic situation. In this context, it will discuss how strategic and economic influences effect politico-military considerations for policy makers in Pakistan. Within this larger framework, the summer school will discuss other issues including financial markets and the relevancy of the state in economic systems, trade regimes and the importance of strategic trade controls. The summer school will also discuss Pakistan’s nuclear policy with special reference to the changing nature of the global non-proliferation debate. Local schools including Beaconhouse, Westminister, Roots Millennium, The Millennium University College and Islamabad College of Arts & Sciences are all represented at the summer school. Other speakers during the summer school include former ambassadors Inamul Haq and Zamir Akram, Research Society of International Law Conflict Law Centre Director Oves Anwar, Sustainable Development Policy Institute Joint Executive Director Dr Vaqar Ahmed, Zahir Kazmi and Khalid Banuri.

On the second day of the summer school on Pakistan’s Foreign & Security Policy, SSII Director General Dr Shireen Mazari discussed nuclear non-proliferation issues and Pakistan’s nuclear doctrine with the students. She indicated that after 9/11, non-proliferation debate was focused exclusively on the nuclear programmes of certain countries including Pakistan and Iran. Pakistan was effectively de-linked from India after the Indo-US nuclear agreement. With this agreement, the United States has tried to give legitimacy to the Indian nuclear programme. India expanded its fissile material stockpiles after the Indo-US nuclear deal. SSII DG Dr Shireen Mazari highlighted how the Indo-US nuclear deal and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) waiver for India has undermined the global non-proliferation regime.

On the issue of Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT), she argued that Pakistan should continue its opposition to FMCT and ask for an FMT else the country will be at a permanent disadvantage. She said that the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is an example of the formal mechanisms of the nuclear non-proliferation regime. Some informal mechanisms also remain significant eg the NSG that has also become an important feature of the global non-proliferation regime. Dr Shireen Mazari said that due to consensus-based decision-making process of the NSG, the US has not been able to get India the membership of the NSG. However, she cautioned that if India gets the membership, it would become problematic for Pakistan.

Dr Mazari further emphasised that after India enunciated its Cold Start Doctrine, Pakistan responded by developing Nasr, a short-range solid fuel ballistic missile. She stressed that the rationale behind the development of Nasr was that if India operationalises its Cold Start Doctrine, which aims to rapidly mobilise its forces to launch swift attack into Pakistani territory, Pakistan will target Indian forces on their territory with its short-range missiles equipped with a low-yield warhead. According to her, with the development of Nasr, Pakistan “plugged a loophole in its nuclear doctrine that was being exploited by India”.

Dr Mazari also informed the participants that Pakistan has now successfully tested Babur 3 Submarine Launched Cruise Missile and has attained second strike capability. Moreover, after the development of Ababeel, surface-to-surface ballistic missile, Pakistan has successfully countered India’s Ballistic Missile Defence System.

Published in Daily Times, August 4^th 2018.