Pakistan, India exchange lists of nuclear installations and facilities

Pakistan and India on Tuesday exchanged lists of their nuclear installations and facilities under an accord  prohibiting attacks on their atomic assets, the Foreign Ministry said.

 

The governments of the two countries are required to exchange lists of their nuclear installations and facilities on January 1 every year under the terms of the “Agreement on Prohibition of Attacks against Nuclear Installations and Facilities” that was signed in December 1988.

 

“Pakistan and India are required to exchange lists of their respective nuclear installations and facilities in accordance with Article-II of the Agreement on Prohibition of Attacks against Nuclear Installations and Facilities between Pakistan and India of 31 December 1988,” a Foreign ministry statement said.

 

“In accordance with aforesaid Agreement a list of requisite facilities in Pakistan was officially handed over to a representative of the Indian High Commission at the Foreign Office today at 1130 hrs (PST),” it said.

 

The Indian side also handed over its list to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, the statement added.

 

The exchange was conducted even during a freeze in bilateral ties after the 2008 Mumbai attacks that were blamed on the Pakistan-based terror group Jamaat-ud-Dawa.

 

India conducted nuclear tests in 1998 and Pakistan, in a tit for tat response, carried out nuclear tests in Chaghi mountains in Balochistan.

 

The tests, which were condemned across the world, had raised concerns about the possibility of nuclear conflict in South Asia.

 

Pakistan has now announced moratorium on nuclear tests but say that it could change the policy if India goes for more tests.

 

In order to avoid any accidental mishap, both countries regularly hold talks on the issue.

 

Both counties also routinely conduct tests of nuclear-capable missiles, which can hit targets in both countries.

 

Pakistan last week serious concern over a recent India-Russia defence deal that could destabilize the region.

 

Pakistan and India also exchanged list of prisoners currently being held in each other’s jails under a separate pact.

 

The two neighbouring countries are required to exchange lists of prisoners twice a year under the Agreement on Consular Access signed in May 2008.

 

There are hundreds of prisoners in jails of the two countries who always complaint of mistreatment in prisons.

 

Maritime security agencies of both countries also arrest fishermen after they enter other’s water in the Arabian Sea. The two countries have so far failed to determine maritime boundaries.

Posted by Tahir Khan on Jan 1 2013. Filed under Latest News, Pakistan, South Asia. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.