Pakistan rebuffs Indian claims, says last nuclear test was in 1998

Pakistan has firmly dismissed India’s recent claims regarding its nuclear record, saying the country has not conducted any nuclear tests since May 1998.

Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi, in a statement on Friday, said India was attempting to distort facts and misrepresent the remarks of US President Donald Trump. “The US side has already clarified its position to the media regarding the statements made by the president,” he added.

He said Pakistan’s stance on nuclear testing has remained consistent and transparent for decades. “For the record, Pakistan’s last nuclear tests were carried out in May 1998. Our position on nuclear testing is well established and guided by commitments to regional stability,” Andrabi said.

Pakistan points to India’s double standards

The spokesperson said Pakistan has long supported United Nations General Assembly resolutions calling for a complete ban on nuclear testing. In contrast, he noted, India’s repeated abstentions from these resolutions raise doubts about its future nuclear intentions.

He reaffirmed that Pakistan’s nuclear programme operates under a strict command and control system, with strong export regulations and a clean record of compliance with global non-proliferation norms.

Responding to Indian allegations of “clandestine nuclear activity,” Andrabi called them baseless and malicious. “This is part of India’s ongoing disinformation campaign to distract attention from its own reckless nuclear conduct,” he said.

Concerns over India’s nuclear safety

Andrabi pointed out that India’s record on nuclear safety and material security is “deeply troubling.” He cited several incidents over the years involving the theft and illegal sale of radioactive substances in India.

He said that as recently as last year, highly radioactive Californium, reportedly worth over $100 million, and equipment from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre were found on sale inside India.

“Such incidents expose the existence of a nuclear black market in India, posing a serious threat to both regional and global security,” Andrabi warned, urging the international community to take notice.