ISLAMABAD: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has completed its first International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS) mission in Pakistan, describing the country’s nuclear security framework as robust and recommending further improvements.
According to the IAEA, the mission was conducted from September 28 to October 9, 2026, at the invitation of the Pakistani government. The seven-member international team included experts from China, Romania, Russia and Slovakia, along with two IAEA officials.
The team reviewed Pakistan’s legal, regulatory and practical arrangements for protecting nuclear material and facilities. The mission also included a visit to the decommissioning project at the former Karachi Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1, where experts observed arrangements related to decommissioning activities and the storage of spent nuclear fuel.
The IAEA said the mission identified good practices and provided recommendations to further strengthen Pakistan’s nuclear security framework.
Pakistan’s nuclear regulatory authorities said the recommendations would help improve the country’s legal, regulatory and operational arrangements for nuclear security.
The agency’s advisory missions are designed to help countries assess their nuclear security arrangements against international guidance and identify opportunities for improvement.
The IAEA review should not be interpreted as an inspection of Pakistan’s entire nuclear weapons stockpile or all its nuclear assets. The mission focused on the country’s nuclear material and facility protection framework, with an on-site visit to a specific facility.