Islamabad, 15 May 2025: Pakistan has strongly condemned the recent remarks made by India’s Defence Minister regarding its nuclear capabilities during his visit to Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K). In a strongly worded statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad denounced the comments as “irresponsible,” and indicative of deep-seated “insecurity and frustration” over Pakistan’s robust conventional and nuclear deterrence capabilities.
The Ministry criticised the Indian official’s statements as not only provocative but also reflective of a strategic mindset reliant on “self-imposed nuclear blackmail.” According to the press release, Pakistan maintains that its conventional military capabilities alone are sufficient to deter any potential Indian aggression, without resorting to inflammatory nuclear rhetoric.
The statement also took issue with the Defence Minister’s apparent misunderstanding of international nuclear oversight. His comments, the Ministry argued, reveal “sheer ignorance” regarding the mandate and functioning of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a specialised agency of the United Nations. Pakistan asserted that India’s own record on nuclear safety and security is under greater international scrutiny, given the disturbing pattern of nuclear and radioactive material thefts reported within its territory.
Highlighting a string of such incidents, the Foreign Office pointed to the alarming recovery of a radioactive device allegedly stolen from India’s Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) last year, with five individuals apprehended in Dehradun. In a separate incident, another group was found in possession of Californium—a highly radioactive and dangerous substance—reportedly worth US$ 100 million. The year 2021 also witnessed three separate cases involving the illegal trade of Californium, raising serious concerns about the integrity of India’s nuclear security infrastructure.
The press release stressed that these recurring incidents could point to the presence of a black market in India dealing with sensitive, dual-use radioactive materials. Such developments not only endanger regional peace and security but also raise red flags within the international non-proliferation regime.
Pakistan has called for a comprehensive and transparent investigation into these incidents and urged New Delhi to implement stringent measures to ensure the safety and security of its nuclear and radioactive assets. Reiterating its commitment to responsible nuclear stewardship, Islamabad underscored the need for India to match words with action in adhering to global nuclear safety norms
