ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday rejected remarks from the Indian foreign office attempting to link US President Donald Trump’s recent comments on nuclear testing with allegations against Pakistan’s nuclear record, calling New Delhi’s claims “distorted, baseless and misleading.”
Responding to media queries, the Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said India had “misrepresented” the US president’s remarks, noting that Washington had already clarified the context of the statements.
“India is clearly distorting facts and misrepresenting the remarks of US President Donald Trump,” the spokesperson said. “The US side has already clarified its position to the media.”
The Foreign Office underlined that Pakistan’s nuclear history is transparent and internationally documented.
“For the record, Pakistan’s last nuclear tests were conducted in May 1998. Pakistan has consistently supported United Nations General Assembly resolutions calling for a comprehensive ban on nuclear testing,” the statement noted.
“In contrast, India’s repeated abstentions on these resolutions reflect its ambiguous intentions regarding future nuclear testing.”
The spokesperson added that Pakistan maintains a “robust command and control structure, comprehensive export controls, and an impeccable non-proliferation record.”
“Allegations of clandestine or illegal nuclear activities are baseless, malicious and part of India’s disinformation campaign aimed at diverting attention from its own irresponsible conduct,” the statement said.
The Foreign Office expressed “deep concern” over what it described as India’s “poor track record” on nuclear safety and material security.
“Over several decades, multiple incidents of theft and illicit trafficking of radioactive substances inside India have exposed serious deficiencies in its nuclear security framework,” the spokesperson said.
“As recently as last year, radioactive equipment from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, along with the highly radioactive substance Californium worth over $100 million, was found being sold inside India.”
“These recurring incidents point to the existence of a nuclear black market in India, posing grave risks to regional and global security,” the spokesperson warned, urging the international community to take “serious note.”
Earlier this week, Indian foreign office spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had claimed that “clandestine and illegal nuclear activities” were “in keeping with Pakistan’s history.” Pakistan has dismissed those remarks as “politically motivated rhetoric with no factual basis.”
