UN disarmament fellows arrive in Pakistan on international study tour

ISLAMABAD: A group of fellows, working with a United Nations (UN) program on disarmament, have arrived in Pakistan on an international study tour, the Pakistani foreign office said on Monday.
The visit, organized by the Pakistani government in collaboration with the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), aims to familiarize international diplomats with Pakistan’s policies and institutional frameworks in arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation.
The fellows will tour the Pakistan Center of Excellence on Nuclear Security (PCENS), the Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science & Technology (PINSTECH), the Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) in Wah Cantt, the Heavy Mechanical Complex (HMC) in Taxila, the National Center for Physics (NCP), and the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS).
“At PCENS, the participants will receive detailed briefings on Pakistan’s nuclear safety and security architecture, regulatory frameworks, and the safeguards adopted in line with international standards, which have been recognized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),” the foreign office said in a statement.
“At PINSTECH, they will observe the Pakistan Atomic Research Reactor and the peaceful applications of nuclear technology in health, industry, agriculture, food security, and power generation.”
Established in 1978, the United Nations Program of Fellowships on Disarmament is a prestigious initiative of UNODA and offers valuable training and exposure to young professionals. This is the second time Pakistan is hosting the international study tour for the UN disarmament fellows.
On Monday, the UN fellows visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where they were briefed on Pakistan’s stance on arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation.
Ambassador Tahir Andrabi, Pakistan’s director-general for arms control and disarmament, emphasized the importance of unrestricted access to dual-use technologies for peaceful socio-economic applications.