Web Desk
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has been ranked above India, Iran and North Korea in terms of its handling of hazardous material by an international organisation evaluating the status of global nuclear security, showing Pakistan had gained three more points since the last assessment.
According to an evaluation conducted by an international organization assessing global nuclear security,(NIT) Pakistan’s score has increased by three points since the last assessment, placing it at number 19 out of 22 states on the list. The Index evaluates nuclear and radiological security worldwide, using a set of indicators and criteria. Countries and areas are ranked based on five categories: quantities and sites, security and control measures, global norms, domestic commitments and capacity, and risk environment.
The NTI index revealed in the tabulated form Pakistan’s total score of 49 which was higher than India’s 40, Iran’s 29, and North Korea’s 18.
The data further showed that Pakistan ranked 32 along with Russia and Israel in terms of the security of its nuclear facilities. The ranking was above India, Iran, Mexico, South Africa and several others on a list of 47 countries.
In 2023, the NTI Nuclear Security Index reported a worrisome trend: nuclear security conditions are regressing in several countries with weapons-usable nuclear materials and facilities. Additionally, eight countries, including India and Pakistan, have increased their stocks of weapons-usable nuclear materials, undermining global efforts for minimization and elimination and raising theft risks.
The index is maintained by Washington-based Nuclear Threat Initiative, a non-profit entity, which keeps a meticulous record of how countries handle nuclear material.
