Strategic Plans Division (SPD) Director General Lieutenant General (r) Khalid Ahmed Kidwai on Tuesday said that nuclear security was an area which had always remained of special focus in Pakistan’s nuclear program. “The effort to inculcate nuclear security culture is deeply rooted in the nuclear establishment,” Kidwai said while addressing a passing-out parade held on Tuesday at the Strategic Plans Divisions’ Training Academy. He said in the current regional and international environment, realising the need for enhanced nuclear security, Pakistan had taken a number of steps during the last decade. Establishment of a specialised training academy to train and hone professional skills in the realm of nuclear security was one such step, he said, adding that the purpose and objective of establishing a dedicated training academy was to develop an indigenous capability for human resource capacity building in the area of nuclear security.
At the parade, a fresh batch of 200 smartly-dressed trainee officials completed their basic training before being entrusted with various responsibilities of nuclear security. The parade was witnessed by a number of dignitaries from various security, intelligence, counter-intelligence agencies and other outfits of relevant organisations. Kidwai also reviewed the parade. He focused on the significance of the responsibilities that these officials were to undertake. He emphasised upholding the resolve under which the officials had experienced the rigours of training so as to come up to national expectations and praised the instructional staff that had painstakingly trained the latest batch in line with international standards. Expressing his satisfaction, he said that by the year 2013, over 8000 professionals would be additionally trained, which would further augment the capability of SPD’s Security Division.
