UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to investigate the “recurring” incidents of theft and illicit sale of nuclear and radioactive materials in neighboring India.
A recent Indian media report revealed that police arrested three smugglers in Gopalganj district, Bihar, who were found in possession of a rare and highly radioactive Californium stone, known to command high prices in the international market.
“The Security Council should be deeply concerned about the recurring incidents of theft and illicit sale of nuclear and other radioactive materials in our eastern neighbor,” Ambassador Munir Akram, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN, stated before a committee established under UNSC Resolution 1540. This resolution mandates member states to take specific actions to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
“In the latest incident in August 2024, a group was discovered with a large quantity of Californium, valued at $100 million,” he said, noting that three other thefts involving Californium were reported in India in 2021.
These incidents, Akram suggested, indicate the existence of a black market for sensitive materials.
He also emphasized that while it is crucial to prevent non-state actors from acquiring such materials, the rights of states to the peaceful use of dual-use technologies must be preserved. “Export-control regimes should not serve as tools of coercion and discrimination,” he added.
Resolution 1540 demands that all states refrain from providing any form of support to non-state actors attempting to develop or acquire nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons and their delivery systems, particularly for terrorist purposes. The resolution requires states to adopt and enforce appropriate laws and measures to prevent the proliferation of these weapons.
In his remarks, Ambassador Munir Akram reiterated that Pakistan, as a responsible nuclear weapons state, has actively participated in formulating and negotiating UNSC Resolution 1540 and has implemented its obligations under it.
