Country’s nuclear safeguards pass first-ever IPPAS security review

Pakistan's nuclear security framework has been deemed robust following a pioneering 12-day International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) review. The International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS) team, comprising experts from China, Romania, the Russian Federation, Slovakia, and IAEA staff, concluded that the country's legislative and regulatory framework for nuclear security was appropriately implemented at visited nuclear facilities.

The mission team praised Pakistan's well-established capacity-building infrastructure, which draws on national, regional, and international nuclear security expertise. They provided recommendations to further enhance Pakistan's nuclear security regime and associated procedures. The IAEA deputy director general, Karine Herviou, commended Pakistan's contributions to developing the skills of the nuclear security workforce.

The review was conducted in collaboration with the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) following the request of the Pakistani government. The IPPAS mission aimed to assist Pakistan in strengthening its national nuclear security regime. The team visited the Kanupp Decommissioning Project at the Karachi Nuclear Power Generating Station, the first nuclear power plant in Pakistan, which operated the Canadian Deuterium Uranium reactor from 1971 until its permanent shutdown in 2021.

Additionally, Pakistan has successfully concluded a five-day National Workshop on Commercial Grade Item Dedication for nuclear safety-related applications, organized in collaboration with the IAEA. The workshop, held at the National Institute of Safety and Security, brought together regulatory staff, nuclear installation operators, and supply chain stakeholders to discuss the use of commercially manufactured items in safety-related applications.