Islamabad, 15 November 2019 (GNP): In collaboration with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Pakistan hosted an international course on Assistance and Protection against Chemical Weapons on 11-15 November 2019. Maj. General Ahmed Sharif Chaudry, Director General Defense Science and Technology Organization (DESTO), was the Chief Guest at the opening and closing ceremonies of the international course. The course which was conducted at the National Center for Physics (NCP), also involved the National Authority for the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In addition to the OPCW resource persons and Pakistani experts, the course was attended by participants from Algeria, Bangladesh, Czech Republic, Iran, Sri Lanka, Uganda and Ukraine. This was the 9th international Assistance and Protection Course organized by Pakistan. Pakistan has so far trained 216 international experts in planning, organizing and generating response and counter measures to events involving the use of chemical agents and toxic industrial chemicals. The international participants expressed appreciation for the knowledge of the experts and quality of training during the course.
Hosting of the international Assistance and Protection Courses by Pakistan is a manifestation of Pakistan’s commitment to the objectives of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and support for the work of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. (GNP)
