Source : NEW INDIAN EXPRESS NEWS
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Thursday confirmed that no radiation leak or release has occurred from any nuclear facility in Pakistan, following speculation that Indian airstrikes under ‘Operation Sindoor’ may have targeted sensitive installations.
“Based on information available to the IAEA, there has been no radiation leak or release from any nuclear facility in Pakistan,” a spokesperson for the agency said in a statement issued in response to queries.
The IAEA’s clarification comes days after unverified claims circulated on social media suggesting that India’s armed forces had struck Kirana Hills, an area in Pakistan reported to house nuclear infrastructure.
These allegations emerged after India launched coordinated military strikes on May 7 in response to the April terror attack in J&K’s Pahalgam, that killed 26 civilians, including a Nepali national.
Notably, India has rejected claims that it targeted nuclear sites.
Air Marshal AK Bharti, Director General of Air Operations, told reporters on May 12, “We have not hit Kirana Hills, whatever is there.”
When asked about the location, he added, “Thank you for telling us that Kirana Hills houses some nuclear installation, we did not know about it.”
India’s strikes targeted airbases in Sargodha and Nur Khan, as well as other military sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, damaging radar systems, communication facilities, and airfields, according to Indian officials.
Meanwhile, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that Pakistan’s nuclear weapons should be brought under the supervision of the IAEA as they are not safe in such a rogue nation.
The defence minister’s comments came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India would not tolerate “nuclear blackmail” by Pakistan and would punish cross-border terrorism strongly.
Similarly, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal dismissed US President Donald Trump’s comments suggesting that Washington had helped avert a nuclear confrontation between India and Pakistan.
He said India’s military operations were “in the conventional domain” and rejected suggestions of a nuclear escalation.
Trump had earlier claimed, “We stopped a nuclear conflict. I think it could have been a bad nuclear war. Millions of people could have been killed.”
Tensions between India and Pakistan began to de-escalate following an understanding on the cessation of hostilities reached on May 10.
SOURCE :- NEW INDIAN EXPRESS
