ISLAMABAD: Academics, journalists and peace activists on Saturday made a passionate appeal for peace in the subcontinent and a halt on stockpiling of nuclear weapons.

According to them, nuclear arsenals production is a grave threat to the future of humanity, development as their maintenance devours vast public money and resources.

They called for resolution of conflicts through peaceful means diverting massive spending and resources towards social development, combating poverty, diseases, unemployment and illiteracy.

Say nuclear arsenals production is a grave threat to the future of humanity, development

They were speaking at a seminar on ‘20 Years After Nuclear Detonation by India and Pakistan’ at the National Press Club, organised by the Citizens Peace Committee in collaboration with Awami Workers Party (AWP), National Party (NP), Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Women Action Forum (WAF) and Progressive Writers Association (PWA).

Veteran journalist M. Ziauddin, physicist Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy and Dr Abdul Hameed Nayyar, journalist and rights activist Marvi Sirmed, Aliya Amirali of AWP and Faqir Sain of PWA spoke on the subject.

Noted human rights defender Nasreen Azhar presided over the event that was moderated by activist Foqia Khan.

Two decades ago India and Pakistan conducted explosions on May 11 and 25, 1998 respectively “declaring nuclear weapons necessary for their national security and regional peace”.

Only socio-economic development, regional cooperation can guarantee national security and regional peace and provide a deterrence to war not nuclear arsenal, they said.

The speakers shed light on different aspects of nuclearisation and militaarisation of state and its impact on society, politics and economy taking stock of the situation in retrospect during the last two decades, national and internal security, regional peace, the achievements, global standing and level of progress in social sectors.

Speaking on the impact of nuclear weapons on economy, veteran journalist M. Ziauddin said there has been no authentic figure available to draw a correlation between the economy and spending on weapons.

However, he explained through anecdotes and comparative macro-economic and social indicators of nine nuclear states, and said that the maintenance of a nuclear weapon is costlier than its production.

He said that Pakistan is the only nuclear state which spends only 2pc of its GDP on social sector and 30pc on defence.

Dr Hoodbhoy also seconded Mr Ziauddin’s view on deterrence and said that despite skirmishes, terrorist attacks and surgical strikes no full blown war has occurred in the face of the nuclear weapons.

He expressed concern at the nuclear-tipped missiles mounted on trucks and in submarines.

“Who will control the command of the missiles in the field and under the sea and communication problem can create any disaster”, Hoodbhoy questioned.

Opening the debate Alia Amirali, deputy secretary-general of AWP Punjab said, her party believes in people’s power which guarantees national security, not the state, army and weapons.

“Use of nuclear weapons not only destroys resources and economy but also pollutes environment and ecosystem,” she said.

Journalist and activist Marvi Sirmed spoke about the shrinking space for voices of dissent, enforced disappearances and intimidation of media persons and rights activists.

She said the security apparatus is on the course of self-destruction and turned Pakistan into a security state.

CPC member Dr AH Nayyer said India had developed its own nuclear doctrine and got it passed through parliament but Pakistan has no such doctrine in place.

The speakers called for a parliamentary oversight of the defence spending and audit of military industrial production.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2018