Pakistan’s Biosecurity Preparedness and the Global Challenges of the Biological Weapons Convention

Abstract

The proliferation of biological weapons has emerged as a critical and complex threat globally. Despite the absence of major biological attacks in recent years, rapid advances in biotechnology have heightened concerns over the potential misuse of these technologies for biological terrorism. Biological agents—including bacteria, viruses, and toxins—pose unique dangers because they can spread stealthily and cause widespread harm, earning the label “the atomic bombs of the poor” due to their low production and transport costs. The accessibility of biotechnology further exacerbates fears that non-state actors or terrorists might acquire or engineer these weapons, making effective regulation and prevention imperative. Recent innovations, particularly gene-editing technologies like CRISPR, have revolutionized biology and medicine but simultaneously introduce new risks. While these technologies promise significant healthcare advancements, their dual-use nature could enable their exploitation for harmful purposes if they fall into the wrong hands. This dual-use dilemma has intensified global efforts to strengthen international frameworks such as the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). This study explores contemporary biological threats, encompassing both deliberate bioterrorism and naturally occurring infectious disease outbreaks, with a specific focus on Pakistan’s biosecurity landscape. It evaluates the national and international measures aimed at enhancing preparedness and response capacities to biological hazards. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the vulnerability of global systems to infectious disease threats, emphasizing the urgent need for coordinated biosecurity strategies. By analyzing current challenges and institutional responses, the study seeks to contribute to the ongoing discourse on mitigating biological risks in an increasingly interconnected and technologically advanced world.