At UN, Pakistan pushes for efforts to prevent weaponization of outer-space
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UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has called for steps to prevent the weaponization of outer-space, and emphasized that it should be explored and used exclusively for peaceful purposes.
"While our reliance and dependence on outer space applications is increasing, the potential and the risk of its weaponization is also on the rise," Farukh Amil, the permanent representative of Pakistan to the United Nations in Geneva, told the General Assembly's Disarmament and International Security Committee on Tuesday.
"There is an urgent need to address this issue in order to prevent outer space from emerging as the new realm of conflict and arms race," he said during a debate on Outer Space matters.
"Outer space is the common heritage of all humankind," Ambassador Amil added.
At the same time, the Pakistani envoy said the dominance in that realm currently enjoyed by certain countries due to their current technological prowess could not last forever, as other States were catching up fast. Developing countries would neither carry the burden of non-proliferation, nor would they accept any discriminatory restrictions that hampered their peaceful pursuits in outer space.
While the Outer Space Treaty prohibited the placement of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in outer space, it was silent on the placement of other types of arms, Ambassador Amil pointed out.
Expressing support for the draft treaty on the prevention of the placement of weapons in outer space, he said it provided a useful basis for the commencement of negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament.
