By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday sharply condemned India’s defence minister for suggesting that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) take control of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons, branding the remarks “irresponsible” and a sign of “ignorance” about the UN agency’s mandate and also demanded an international investigation into alleged nuclear theft in India, citing concerns over the security of its rival’s nuclear program.
The verbal salvo follows a week of deadly clashes between the two South Asian powers, sparked when India launched strikes on what it called “terrorist camps” inside Pakistan. The operation was a reprisal for an attack in occupied Kashmir last month that killed 26 people, an assault New Delhi pinned on Pakistan, despite Islamabad’s denials. The tit-for-tat military actions, involving missiles and drones, ended with a US-backed tenuous truce on Saturday.
Speaking to troops in Srinagar, the summer capital of occupied Kashmir, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh cast doubt on Pakistan’s nuclear responsibility. “I believe that Pakistan’s nuclear weapons should be taken under the supervision of IAEA.”
The foreign office fired back, accusing Singh of projecting “profound insecurity and frustration” over Pakistan’s conventional military prowess. “Pakistan’s conventional capabilities are adequate to deter India, without the self-imposed ‘nuclear blackmail’ that New Delhi suffers,” a statement said.
It added that Singh’s remarks betrayed “sheer ignorance of the mandate and responsibilities of a specialised agency of the United Nations like the IAEA.” The IAEA oversees nuclear programs for peaceful purposes but has no authority to manage a country’s nuclear arsenal.
Pakistan went further, renewing calls for a thorough probe into reports of nuclear material theft in India and “also calls upon India to ensure the safety and security of its nuclear facilities and arsenal”.
“The IAEA and the international community should be worried about the repeated theft and illicit trafficking incidents involving nuclear and radioactive material in India,” the foreign office said.
Media reported that last year, five individuals with a radioactive device reportedly stolen from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) were found in Dehradun, India. Later, a gang of individuals was found with illegal possession of a highly radioactive and toxic substance, Californium, worth $100 million. Three incidents of theft of Californium were also reported in 2021.
“These recurring incidents call into question the measures taken by New Delhi for the safety and security of nuclear and other radioactive material,” the statement said. “These incidents also suggest the existence of a black market for sensitive, dual-use materials inside India.”
The two nations, bitter rivals since their 1947 partition, have fought three wars and countless skirmishes, with their 1998 nuclear tests amplifying the stakes. Their latest spat, centered on Kashmir, highlights the persistent danger of a conflict spiraling beyond control.
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