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China under the guise of power-sector cooperation is helping Pakistan in augmenting its nuclear capabilities, says Portal Plus.
There are indications of this arrangement including the areas of transportation and diversion of technology for producing nuclear warheads in the garb of peaceful use of the technology. Notably, The framework Agreement on Building New Hualong One Nuclear Power Unit in Pakistan was signed in April 2015, followed by the C-5 commercial contract in November 2017. The threat of this Chinese-Pakistani nuclear cooperation was unveiled at many instances. Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) was exposed when Indian authorities, during November 2021 seized a shipment containing radioactive substances at Mundra Port, Gujarat. The cargo was listed as non-hazardous, however, the containers had Class7 classification for transportation of radioactive materials. In another incident, the Indian authorities seized "Cryogenic Storage Tanks" in Nhava Sheva, Mumbai in July 2021. Pakistan is looking for alternate means besides avoiding Indian ports for strategic shipments to prevent such incidents in future. A few related inputs indicate that a Chinese company in Karachi also imported USA-origin radioactive materials in Dec 2021 from its main branch in China by a Turkish Airlines flight. Pakistan is increasingly acquiring dangerous capabilities to destabilize the region. The country already has 165 nuclear warheads and the indicators are worrisome for the world. (ANI)
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