WASHINGTON: Pakistan has taken a number of steps to ensure the safety and security of nuclear materials at both civilian and military facilities, says a report issued on the occasion of a nuclear summit.

The fourth and final nuclear security summit will take place on March 31-April 1 in Washington and Pakistani and Indian prime ministers are among scores of other world leaders who are participating in the conference.

US President Barack Obama launched the effort in Prague in April 2009. The first summit was held in Washington in 2010, second in Seoul in 2012, and the third in The Hague last year.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the 2016 meeting “will continue discussion on the evolving [nuclear terrorism] threat and highlight steps that can be taken together to minimise the use of highly-enriched uranium, secure vulnerable materials, counter nuclear smuggling and deter, detect, and disrupt attempts at nuclear terrorism.”

On Thursday, two Washington NGOs — Arms Control Association and Partnership for Global Security — issued a special report, reviewing the state of global security around the world.

In its chapter on Pakistan, the report notes that the country has revised its National Export Control Lists and has received a mission from the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Emergency Prep­aredness Review Service.

Pakistan also has renewed its Nuclear Security Action Plan with the IAEA and has developed a national Nuclear Emergency Management System, the report adds.

Pakistan has established Nuclear Security Training and Support Centres as well.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2016