United Nations (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 18 Mar 2026) Pakistan He called for an “effective”, non-discriminatory, objective and standards-based approach to preventing non-State actors from obtaining weapons of mass destruction.
“In the current complex global environment characterized by numerous conflicts, rising tensions and security challenges, strengthening nuclear non-proliferation efforts has become more important than ever,” Ambassador Usman Jadon, Pakistan’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, told the UN Security Council during a briefing for the 15-member panel known as the 1540 Committee.
The Committee is designed to monitor and support States in implementing Resolution 1540 (2004), which legally obligates all UN Member States to prevent non-State actors from acquiring, developing or using nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and their delivery systems.
Noting that the potential for non-state actors to acquire and use weapons of mass destruction threatens the national security of member states and international peace and security, the Pakistani envoy said, “The changing nature of non-state actors and terrorist activities underscores the importance of strengthening voluntary international cooperation and cooperative efforts to achieve the common goal of effective implementation of Resolution 1540.”
Moreover, Member States must keep pace with these developments, Ambassador Jadon said, adding that the 1540 Committee can play an important role in enhancing international understanding of and collective response to these threats.
Noting that multilateral export control regimes can play a crucial role in strengthening global efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, the Pakistani envoy said that to preserve these regimes they must avoid becoming exclusive cabals that prioritize political and commercial interests.
“Selective exceptions reduce the credibility of the global non-proliferation framework and risk further destabilizing regional and global peace and security,” Ambassador Jadon added.
Moreover, he said that non-proliferation efforts should not hinder international cooperation in the peaceful use of dual-use technologies, which is vital for the economic development of all Member States, especially the Global South.
“All countries must be able to exercise their inalienable right to use nuclear energy and technologies for peaceful purposes, consistent with nuclear non-proliferation and their international legal obligations,” he said, stressing that continued work in this regard, including within the 1540 Committee, must ensure equitable and unimpeded access to technologies while promoting global non-proliferation goals.
“Non-proliferation and peaceful technological development reinforce – not undermine – each other when addressed through cooperative mechanisms, on a non-discriminatory basis.”
He said that Pakistan would continue its active contribution to the work of the 1540 Committee, including the ongoing comprehensive review, which is a vital exercise in the implementation of the resolution.
First, Panamanian Ambassador Eloy Alvaro de Alba reported on the progress made within the Committee in the past few months.
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