Pak condemns Rajnath's remarks, signals robust defence posture

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan issued a rebuke on Thursday to defence minister Rajnath Singh’s call for International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) oversight of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, calling the remarks “irresponsible” and claiming they were reflective of “profound insecurity”.

Singh’s statements, made during a visit to Jammu and Kashmir, questioned the safety of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons and urged global supervision.Pakistan’s foreign office (FO) asserted that Singh’s comments revealed “ignorance” of IAEA’s mandate and reaffirmed its “effective defence and deterrence” against India.

Pakistan tried to draw international attention to multiple incidents of alleged radioactive material theft within India, questioning New Delhi’s domestic nuclear security framework. It cited a 2023 case involving radioactive equipment allegedly stolen from Barc, as well as reported thefts involving Californium, arare and highly radioactive substance, dating back to 2021.