• Islamabad rejects India’s suggestion for IAEA oversight of its nuclear program
• New Delhi links water treaty suspension to end of ‘cross-border terrorism’
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday called on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to launch a thorough investigation into repeated incidents of nuclear material theft and illegal trafficking in India, while firmly rejecting Indian demands for international oversight of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.
Highlighting a series of security breaches involving radioactive substances in India, the Foreign Office stressed, “Pakistan calls for a comprehensive probe into these incidents and urges India to ensure the safety and security of its nuclear facilities and materials.”
The statement came in response to remarks made by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who during a visit to troops in Srinagar, claimed that Pakistan’s nuclear assets should be placed under IAEA supervision.
Criticising Singh’s remarks, the Foreign Office asserted that such statements reflected “deep-seated insecurity and frustration” with Pakistan’s ability to deter Indian aggression through conventional means. It added, “Pakistan’s conventional and strategic capabilities are robust and do not rely on the so-called nuclear blackmail India accuses others of.”
The Foreign Office also rebuked Singh’s comments as a misrepresentation of the IAEA’s mandate, which is limited to ensuring peaceful uses of nuclear energy. While India’s civilian nuclear facilities fall under IAEA safeguards through a 2008 pact, its weapons program remains outside international oversight.
Citing specific examples, Islamabad referenced several recent cases involving stolen or smuggled radioactive materials in India. Among them, a group of individuals was reportedly caught in Dehradun in possession of a radioactive device believed to be taken from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. Additionally, a criminal gang was found with Californium — a highly radioactive and valuable substance — and three similar incidents were reported in 2021.
“These incidents expose the existence of a nuclear black market in India and raise serious concerns about the effectiveness of its safety protocols,” the Foreign Office said.
The escalating rhetoric follows a recent pause in military escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours after the deadly Pahalgam attack, which India blamed on Pakistan-based militants. In the aftermath, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared, “India will not tolerate nuclear blackmail,” vowing decisive action against militant hideouts allegedly protected by nuclear deterrence.
Tensions Flare Over Water Treaty
In another sign of fraying relations, India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar announced that the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty would remain in force until Pakistan takes verifiable and irreversible steps to end what India describes as “cross-border terrorism.”
India had announced the suspension of the landmark treaty following the April 22 Pahalgam attack.
Pakistan responded strongly, condemning India’s unilateral move and stressing that the treaty is a binding international agreement, brokered by the World Bank, which contains no provision for such suspension.
Calling water a “vital national interest,” the Foreign Office warned that any attempt to disrupt Pakistan’s share of water under the treaty would be seen as an act of aggression.
“Any move to halt or divert Pakistan’s entitled water under the treaty, and to infringe on the rights of a lower riparian state, will be treated as an act of war and responded to with full force across the entire spectrum of national capabilities,” it warned.
The diplomatic standoff over nuclear safety and water rights signals a worsening of relations between South Asia’s two nuclear-armed rivals, despite a temporary pause in military hostilities.
