Pakistan on Thursday responded to a comment of India’s defence minister Rajnath Singh comments hinting at International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) monitoring of Islamabad’s nuclear stockpile, labeling the remark an indication of “sheer ignorance of the mandate and responsibilities” of the world nuclear watchdog.
Pakistan Condemns Indian Minister’s Statement
The ministry of foreign affairs said it “strongly condemns” Rajnath Singh’s remarks. “These irresponsible remarks reveal his profound insecurity and frustration regarding Pakistan’s effective defence and deterrence against Indian aggression through conventional means. Pakistan’s conventional capabilities are adequate to deter India, without the self-imposed ‘nuclear blackmail’ that New Delhi suffers,” the ministry’s statement read.
Pakistan also alleged. “If anything. the IAEA and the international community should be worried about the repeated theft and illicit trafficking incidents. Involving nuclear and radioactive material in India.”
Visit of Rajnath Singh to Jammu Post Operation Sindoor
The defence minister was visiting Jammu for the first time after Operation Sindoor to assess the general security situation and battle readiness of frontline troops.
“The whole world has seen how irresponsibly Pakistan has threatened India. Today, from the land of Srinagar, I want to raise this question whether nuclear weapons are safe in the hands of such an irresponsible and rogue nation. I believe that Pakistan’s nuclear weapons should be taken under the supervision of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).” Rajnath Singh said. While addressing Indian soldiers in Srinagar’s Badami Bagh Cantonment.
The top BJP leader welcomed the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the military in achieving success for Operation Sindoor and appreciated the residents of Jammu and Kashmir for expressing their “anger” against Pakistan and terrorism.
IAEA Responds to Safety Concerns, Silent on Oversight Proposal
The international nuclear watchdog informed news agency ANI that there has not been any radiation leak or discharge from any nuclear plant in Pakistan.
The agency has yet to respond to Rajnath Singh’s proposal to place Pakistan’s nuclear facilities under the control of the global organization.
The International Atomic Energy Agency is the global community’s foremost intergovernmental organization for scientific and technical cooperation in the nuclear sphere. It fosters the safe, secure, and peaceful use of nuclear science and technology, supporting international peace and security and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
