While India and Pakistan exchanged a list of their nuclear installations this week through diplomatic channels in New Delhi and Islamabad, the Indian side used the occasion to ask the Pakistani officials to “ensure safety and security of nuclear arms” with terror organisations increasing activities in the country.
“India has also conveyed similar concern about the safety and security of nuke weapons in Pakistan to the United Nations (UN) and international community through diplomatic channels,” sources told The Daily Guardian. Indian officials asked their Pakistan counterparts to curb terror camps operating on territory of the country, sources said.
India’s concern regarding “loose nukes” in “politically and economically unstable” Pakistan is based on inputs from intelligence networks of various European countries and the US. “Our diplomats have conveyed the concerns to Pakistan as well as UN officials,” a source told TDG, adding, “The Biden administration had apprised the Pakistan Army Chief of US’ concern about the nuclear safety issues during his visit to Washington last month.”
According to a source, the US regularly takes updates on the safety of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal through its diplomats based in Islamabad and in other countries close to Pakistan. US President Joe Biden had once said that Pakistan is “one of the most dangerous nations in the world” as it has “nuclear weapons without cohesion”.
“UN officials are also of the view that the present unstable and politically and economically fluid environment in Pakistan could be used by non-state actors to have access to nuclear materials,” sources said, adding, “Indian envoys are planning to raise this issue in a big way at the United Nations soon.”
Ever since Pakistan acquired nuclear weapons, the possibility or threat of a nuclear arm landing in the hands of terrorists has been discussed by the international community. India wants to share solid inputs with the global community which is already discussing the issue. Pakistan has always been in denial mode on the nuclear issue.
When this issue was raised by some officials in Washington, the Pak Army Chief denied any risk to nuclear arms in Pakistan due to terrorism. He did not even accept that terror activities are increasing from Pakistan soil, sources said.
However, no official statement ever comes from Pakistan clearly on this issue, as the country always remains ambiguous on it,” says an official. India and Pakistan on Monday exchanged a list of their nuclear installations through diplomatic channels in New Delhi and Islamabad. The exchange of the list took place under a bilateral pact that prohibits the two sides from attacking each other’s atomic facilities.