'Pak confident China will stop India's entry to NSG'

India will not make it to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) as China will oppose its membership despite the US backing India's bid, a senior Pakistani ex-diplomat has claimed.

Zamir Akram, Pakistan's former permanent representative at the UN in Geneva and envoy at the Conference on Disarmament, said this while speaking at a seminar on the International Nuclear Order, jointly organised by the Strategic Vision Institute (SVI) and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.

The Dawn quoted Akram as saying that the "chances of India gaining entry into NSG are virtually nil".

He claimed China would not allow India to join the 48-nation NSG because this would affect its nuclear cooperation with Pakistan.

He said China is committed to ensuring that both India and Pakistan gain membership at the same time.

Other than China, he said there are some countries that are upset by the "double standards" being shown in India's case, and are calling for an approach based on criteria.

This is the second time in a month that a senior official involved in the country's nuclear affairs has dismissed India's chances of NSG membership.

last month, advisor to the National Command Authority, retired lt Gen Khalid Kidwai, said at a conference that "We also have friends in NSG who would not let it happen" referring to India's bid.

SVI also called for maintaining credible deterrence capability against India, and advised against compromising security for mainstreaming in the nuclear order.