ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has marginally improved its grading in the latest report card of the Arms Control Association (ACA), which measures the performance of nuclear-armed states vis-a-vis non-proliferation, disarmament and security, mainly due to acknowledgment of progress on nuclear security and export controls.

“Pakistan’s grade improved slightly since the 2013 report, due in part to progress on strengthening export controls and ratifying a key nuclear security treaty."

“More recently, Pakistan’s development of tactical nuclear weapons raised concerns about the security of Pakistan’s nuclear warheads and on the issue of crisis escalation on its border with India,” the report said.

The report card that measured performance of 11 states, which either possess nuclear weapons or weapons capability, on 10 indicators over the past three years (2013-16) assigned Grade C to Pakistan. The 2013 report had given C- to the country.

Grade C is assigned by the ACA, which grades states on a scale of A-F, in instances where the state has taken limited or declaratory steps to adhere to international standards.

The indicators used for the assessment are: banning nuclear-weapon test explosions; ending the production of fissile material for weapons; reducing nuclear weapons alert levels; verifiably reducing nuclear force size; assuring non-nuclear weapons states that they will not be subject to nuclear attack; establishing nuclear weapon-free zones; complying with international safeguards against the diversion of peaceful nuclear activities for weapons purposes; controlling nuclear weapons-related exports; implementing measures to improve the security of nuclear material and facilities; and criminalising and preventing illicit nuclear trafficking and nuclear terrorism.

Besides Pakistan, the report evaluated the record of China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, India, Israel and North Korea in addition to Syria and Iran.

In Pakistan’s neighbourhood, both China and India were given C+ grade, while Iran got a C.

The major improvements for Pakistan were on the indicators regarding export controls and nuclear security commitments.

The country updated its national control lists last year to make them compatible with those of the nuclear export cartels like the Nuclear Suppliers Group, Missile Technology Control Regime and Australia Group. Pakistan got a B- grade on this count against a C- during the last evaluation.

“A minus (-) is added because there are still questions of dual-use items slipping past Pakistan’s export control system,” the authors of the score card said.

Moreover, Pakistan has not submitted since 2008 the national implementation report on United Nations Resolution 1540, which establishes legally binding obligations on all UN member states to have and enforce appropriate and effective measures against the proliferation of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and their delivery systems, including by establishing controls.

On nuclear security commitments, Pakistan got a B+ as compared to a B in 2013.

The improved grade was because of accession to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNAM) amendment this year.

“Physical security has improved in the recent years, due in significant part to US assistance across a spectrum of activities. This assistance includes the development of nuclear material accountability and tracking programmes, advanced training by US national laboratories, and the development of personnel reliability and accounting measures,” the report said.

After consistently getting Grade A in previous two reports, the country was this time given Grade B on reduction of the nuclear weapons alert level.

“Pakistan’s grade has been lowered because in October 2015,... Aizaz Chaudhry publicly stated that Pakistan has developed low-yield, tactical nuclear weapons. Pakistan is believed to have deployed these weapons on the battlefield,” it said.

In another observation on general trends, the report cautioned that both “India and Pakistan are taking troubling steps toward mating nuclear warheads with new delivery systems”.

On the International Atomic Energy Agency’s safeguard, Pakistan got a Grade B, although all of its civil nuclear facilities are under IAEA safeguards.

An analyst dismissed the report as politically motivated.

“The report has at places cherry-picked on what sample it wants to support its arguments. For instance, the ACA points a finger on Pakistan for blocking negotiations on the FMCT. Contrarily, Islamabad has supported a treaty on fissile materials and has objections on the FMCT’s limited scope and the report does not take into account regional security issues,” he said.

Citing discrepancies in the report, the analyst said that while it had not downgraded some states for violation of non-proliferation norms (NPT and NSG’s principles) while their domestic laws granted exceptional trade waiver in 2008, it criticised China and Pakistan for their civil nuclear cooperation. “The deal does not violate any international law, including that of the NSG. The Sino-Pak deal was signed before China became a member of the NSG and as per international law, it is well within its legitimate right to honour the bilateral commitment predating participation in the NSG,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2016