By IRNA,
Islamabad : In the midst of tension over Mumbai attacks, Pakistan and India will on Thursday exchange lists of their nuclear facilities to safeguard them from each other’s attack during war, diplomatic sources said Wednesday.
The lists are exchanged on 1st January of every year under an agreement that prohibits the two countries attacking each other’s nuclear installations.
According to the agreement on the exchange, signed on December 31, 1988 and enforced on January 27, 1991, Pakistan and India have to inform each other on January 01 every year of the nuclear
installations and facilities to be covered by the agreement.
India and Pakistan tested nuclear weapons in 1998.
The exchange of lists, covered under the agreement on the prohibition of attack against nuclear installations and facilities between Pakistan and India, would be carried out through diplomatic channels, simultaneously in Islamabad and New Delhi.
Pakistan and India exchange lists at a time when tension over Mumbai attacks has led to the suspension of the co-called composite dialogue.
Even during tension days in the past, both countries exchanged information on the nuclear installations and demonstrated their commitment against attacks on each other’s nuclear installations.
Both countries were poised for a military show down following the attack on the Parliament in December 2001 but they had exchanged the lists.
The list usually includes civilian nuclear power plants and gives the exact location of each.
The first such exchange of lists took place on January 1, 1992.
This will be 18th consecutive year the two countries have exchanged the lists.
India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars since 1947 over Kashmir, which was divided between them after independence from British colonial rule in 1947.
Nuclear CMBs: In 2005, Pakistan and India had agreed to put in place a mechanism on pre-flight test notification for missile tests.
This was the positive outcome of series of expert level dialogue on nuclear confidence building measures (NCBMs).
Pakistan and India also continue moratorium on nuclear tests “unless, in exercise of national sovereignty.
The South Asian rivals have refused to sign nuclear
non-proliferation treaties because they are not formally recognised as nuclear powers.