The vulnerability of nuclear facilities in Pakistan to nuclear terrorism cannot be ignored, especially in the context of the country's renewed alliance and active cooperation with the US after the 9/11 attacks, according to a visiting Pakistani scholar.
Abdul Mannan, visiting Fellow at Stimson Centre and Director Transport and Waste Safety of Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority, argued in a research topic that materials like spent nuclear fuel and high activity sources under movement are much more difficult to defend from adversaries than materials in fixed locations.
"Terrorist attacks against the transportation of radioactive material can occur almost anywhere in any industrialised country. Consequences of a successful terrorist attack or a radioactive source could be disastrous," Mannan said at a presentation.
Mannan further argued that Islamabad's response to nuclear terrorism has been appropriate in the sense that steps have been taken since the last 20 years to ensure a proper track of all radioactive sources imported into Pakistan.
He outlined Pakistan's response to nuclear terrorism that would include basically the steps initiated by the PNRA.
Mannan has also touched on the difficulties that likely to arise in informing members of the public in an urban area where it may not be practicable to evacuate such large numbers in shortest possible time in the event of a calamity.
"To dilute the consequences of any successful sabotage event, pre-planning is very important through well developed and coordinated efforts of various agencies. Periodic integrated table-top and field exercises based on credible scenario developed on the basis of intelligence information gathering should remain the focus at all levels," he said.