Pakistan’s ambassador to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi has called for the Nuclear Suppliers Group to establish and adhere to more objective and non-discriminatory criteria to ensure equal treatment of Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) applicants for the Group’s membership, reported Radio Pakistan.

Taking part in a debate in the UN Security Council on non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, she said granting of discriminatory waivers to some states was another challenge to non-proliferation norms and rules.

Maleeha Lodhi noted that such special arrangements carried obvious proliferation risks and opened up the possibility of diverting material intended for peaceful uses to military purposes.