ISLAMABAD, Feb 26 (APP): Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch on Wednesday urged the international community to break the deadlock in global disarmament efforts, highlighting growing security threats fueled by arms races, military asymmetries, and the selective application of international norms.
Speaking at the High-Level Segment of the Conference on Disarmament (CD) in Geneva, Ambassador Amna Baloch underscored Pakistan’s commitment to nuclear deterrence while advocating for global arms control measures that address strategic rivalries, emerging military technologies, and regional instabilities.
“The international security landscape remains volatile,” she warned, pointing to increasing defense spending, the militarization of space and artificial intelligence, and the failure of disarmament bodies to adapt to evolving threats.
Amna Baloch emphasized the urgent need for a legally binding treaty on Negative Security Assurances (NSAs) and a comprehensive agreement on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS).
She also cautioned against the selective application of disarmament measures, arguing that some countries exploit international cooperation to expand their arsenals while others face disproportionate scrutiny.
Turning to South Asia, she criticized India’s military expansion and its refusal to engage in meaningful dialogue on regional stability. She cited India’s growing missile capabilities, its failure to implement UN Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir, and its alleged weak command over strategic forces, referencing the accidental firing of a BrahMos missile into Pakistan in 2022.
“Pakistan will maintain credible minimum deterrence against all forms of aggression,” she asserted, reiterating Islamabad’s commitment to a Strategic Restraint Regime (SRR) that promotes dispute resolution, nuclear and missile restraint, and a balanced conventional arms posture in the region.
As Pakistan begins its eighth term on the UN Security Council, Amna Baloch pledged to advance diplomacy over confrontation and to work towards revitalizing global disarmament efforts.
“For the CD to remain an effective forum, it must uphold the principle of equal and undiminished security for all states,” she concluded, calling for renewed trust and constructive dialogue to overcome decades of deadlock in international arms control negotiations.