WWI, the first practical use of chemical weapons left devastating affects to the biological species. Then the advent of nuclear weapons in the Second World War led to the mass extinction of the human species. Power struggle has led countries to develop and expand their nuclear capabilities. There has been a lot of debate over the proliferation of chemical weapons in the past few years.  Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) represents almost 98% of the world population, it aims to develop and promote the implementation of measures to ensure the prevention and prohibition of the development, production and acquisition of the chemical weapons. Chemical warfare has now taken a new form i.e. chemical terrorism: non-state actors and other militant groups are now in a race to acquire chemical weapons.

Chemical weapons convention (CWC) obliges every member state to ensure that its chemical weapons are in its jurisdiction and will be used, only, for the peaceful purposes. Prevention of the expansion of chemical weapons is signified through the Culture of Responsible Chemistry (CRC). CRC aims to promote a transparent mechanism that ensures the non–proliferation and expansion of the chemical weapons among the countries. CRC operates in a one big sphere of OPCW, which encourages the cooperation among countries in peaceful uses of chemical weapons. CRC demands the protection against the chemical weapons, countries with the sense of responsibility are obliged to assist other states against the chemical weapons. International cooperation among countries to promote a culture of responsibility and peace lies in the ambit of CRC.

Pakistan House is making scholarly efforts to promote the Culture of Responsible Chemistry. Pakistan is a part of OPCW and with this acknowledgement Pakistan House is working on devising the strategies to prevent the re-emergence and proliferation of chemical weapons. Scientific efforts are being made to devise mechanisms for the prohibition of chemical weapons and responsible use of advances in chemistry.

1. OFFICIAL POLICIES

1. REPORT OF THE OPCW ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CONVENTION ON THE PROHIBITION  OF THE DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION, STOCKPILING AND USE  OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND ON THEIR DESTRUCTION  IN 2016

LINK: https://www.opcw.org/fileadmin/OPCW/CSP/C-22/en/c2204_e_.pdf

2. FACT SHEET 1: OPCW

ORIGIN OF THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION AND THE OPCW

LINK: https://www.opcw.org/fileadmin/OPCW/Fact_Sheets/English/Fact_Sheet_1_-_History.pdf

3. FACT SHEET 2: OPCW

THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION: A SYNOPSIS OF THE TEXT

LINK: https://www.opcw.org/fileadmin/OPCW/Fact_Sheets/English/Fact_Sheet_2_-_CWC.pdf

4. FACT SHEET 3: OPCW

THE STRUCTURE OF THE OPCW

LINK: https://www.opcw.org/fileadmin/OPCW/Fact_Sheets/English/Fact_Sheet_3_-_OPCW_Structure.pdf

5. FACT SHEET 4: OPCW

WHAT IS A CHEMICAL WEAPON?

LINK: https://www.opcw.org/fileadmin/OPCW/Fact_Sheets/English/Fact_Sheet_4_-_CW_types.pdf

6. FACT SHEET 5: OPCW

THREE TYPES OF INSPECTIONS

LINK: https://www.opcw.org/fileadmin/OPCW/Fact_Sheets/English/Fact_Sheet_5_-_Inspections.pdf

7. FACT SHEET 6: OPCW

ELIMINATING CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND CHEMICAL WEAPON PRODUCTION FACILITIES

LINK: https://www.opcw.org/fileadmin/OPCW/Fact_Sheets/English/Fact_Sheet_6_-_destruction.pdf

8. FACT SHEET 7: OPCW

MONITORING CHEMICALS WITH POSSIBLE CHEMICAL WEAPONS APPLICATIONS

LINK: https://www.opcw.org/fileadmin/OPCW/Fact_Sheets/English/Fact_Sheet_7_-_Schedule_of_chemicals.pdf

9. FACT SHEET 8: OPCW

ASSISTANCE AND PROTECTION AGAINST ATTACK WITH CHEMICAL WEAPONS

LINK: https://www.opcw.org/fileadmin/OPCW/Fact_Sheets/English/Fact_Sheet_8_-_assistance.pdf

10. FACT SHEET 9: OPCW

PROMOTING ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH CHEMISTRY

LINK: https://www.opcw.org/fileadmin/OPCW/Fact_Sheets/English/Fact_Sheet_9_-_international_cooperation.pdf

11. FACT SHEET 10: OPCW

NATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION

LINK: https://www.opcw.org/fileadmin/OPCW/Fact_Sheets/English/Fact_Sheet_10_-_national_implementation.pdf

12. FACT SHEET 11: OPCW

SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD

LINK: https://www.opcw.org/fileadmin/OPCW/Fact_Sheets/English/Fact_Sheet_11_-_SAB.pdf

13. CONVENTION ON THE PROHIBITION OF THE DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION,

STOCKPILING AND USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND ON THEIR DESTRUCTION: OPCW

LINK: https://www.opcw.org/fileadmin/OPCW/CWC/CWC_en.pdf

2. NEWS ARTICLES

1. HOW TO CURB PRODUCTION OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS

LINK: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-04579-2

2. THE RETURN OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS?

LINK: https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/the-return-of-chemical-weapons/3007822.article

3. ‘WE NEED ACCOUNTABILITY’ TO END THE CRIME OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS USE IN SYRIA, SAYS GUTERRES

LINK: https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/04/1007892

4. THE FUTURE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS

LINK: https://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/the-future-of-chemical-weapons

5. WHY ARE CHEMICAL WEAPONS WORSE THAN OTHER WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION?

LINK: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/apr/25/chemical-weapons-mass-destruction-syria-nuclear

6. THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION AFTER TEN YEARS: SUCCESSES AND FUTURE CHALLENGES

LINK: https://www.asil.org/insights/volume/11/issue/12/chemical-weapons-convention-after-ten-years-successes-and-future

3. RESEARCH ARTICLES
4. ADVANCES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY MAINTAINING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION (2002) JOHN GEE- PURE APPLIED CHEMISTRY VOL 74 ISSUE NO 12 PP 2229- 223

LINK: https://www.iupac.org/publications/pac/2002/pdf/7412×2229.pdf