THE NCA meeting on Wednesday finally gave Pakistan a clear direction in terms of policies relating to nuclear issues - ranging from arms control and disarmament to maintenance of the regional strategic stability. Pakistanis have watched with concern Indias growing nuclear arsenal and efforts to rationalise war fighting within a nuclear environment. The silence of our leadership on these issues has been a cause for even grater concern; as has been the seeming drift in our approach to nuclear arms control issues. Now a critical issue, fissile material, is being discussed in the Conference n Disarmament in Geneva and our position has been confused. So it is a relief to see the NCA declare unequivocally that Pakistan wants to see a Fissile Material Treaty (FMT), which implies reductions in existing stockpiles of fissile material, in addition to our earlier support for an international verification regime. Clearly, given the altered scenario after the Indo-US nuclear deal and the subsequent Indian nuclear deals with France and Russia, the NCA has moved Pakistans position on the fissile material treaty beyond merely accepting the Shannon Mandate of 1995. The NCA has also declared that while it is committed to nonproliferation and nuclear disarmament, it will only accept nondiscriminatory measures that do not undermine our strategic security. It has also demanded that Pakistan, with its fuel cycle capability be considered as an equal partner in any international measure dealing with this issue. Perhaps most important, it has made clear that Pakistan expects to be treated as an equal partner on nuclear issues and demands that the reality of its nuclear weapons capability be recognized so that progress can be made in the field of nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament. Now that the broad parameters of Pakistans nuclear arms control policy has been defined by the highest relevant authority for this purpose, the NCA, it is hoped, it will be less easy for individuals to arbitrarily alter these basic red lines. The NCA has also voiced its condemnation of Indias efforts to bypass nuclear deterrence and recklessly talk of aggressive war fighting doctrines while it amasses a wide-ranging nuclear arsenal. Such a stance has rightfully been seen as a strategic destabiliser for the region. Ironically, the US, Russia and France, through their deals are allowing India to up the nuclear ante in the region, by giving her access to her own unsafeguarded and now 'liberated fissile material to be diverted to more weapons. As the NCA has made clear, Pakistan will have to keep these factors in mind if it is to keep its deterrence at a credible minimum level, even as it avoids a nuclear arms race. The institutional approach to sensitive nuclear policy will allow Pakistans nuclear posture to gain greater credibility externally and send a reassuring message to the nation also.