Pakistan rejects Indian media reports claiming ‘seizure of possible radioactive material’

Pakistan on Saturday termed Indian media reports claiming the "seizure of possible radioactive material" by Indian port authorities in shipping containers of a commercial vessel loaded from Karachi Port as "factually incorrect, baseless, laughable and a usual ploy of the Indian media to malign Pakistan and mislead the international community".

On Friday, a report published by the Hindustan Times claimed that port authorities at Mudra had seized containers believed to be carrying radioactive substances from Pakistan to China.

In response, the Foreign Office (FO) in a statement said: "We have noted the reports in the Indian media about “seizure of possible radioactive material by Indian port authorities at the Mundra Port on containers loaded on a Shanghai bound commercial vessel from Karachi Port."

"In this regard, the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant authorities have informed that these were 'empty containers' being returned to China which were earlier used for the transportation of fuel from China to Karachi for K-2 and K-3 Nuclear Power Plants," the FO said.

Radioactive material in India: Pakistan concerned at theft and illicit sale

The statement added that Both K-2 and K-3 Nuclear Power Plants and the fuel used in these plants are under the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.

"The Containers were 'EMPTY' and the cargo was correctly declared as Non-Hazardous in the shipping documents," it said.

The FO statement said that "fake reporting by Indian media is indicative of a malafide intent to twist procedural customs issues to bring into disrepute IAEA safeguarded nuclear power program".

In August, Pakistan had noted with serious concern a report of theft and illicit sale of radioactive material in India. In response to media queries regarding another report of theft and illegal possession of radioactive material in India, the FO had said that in the incident, as per media reports, two persons were arrested for illegal possession of Californium, which is a highly radioactive and toxic substance.

Earlier, media reports had highlighted separate seizures in May and June 2021 of over 7 kg and more than 6 kg of Uranium from unauthorised persons in India.