Dubbing the recent report on Pakistan's involvement in North Korea's nuclear programme as 'very serious', the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday said it proves yet again that the Islamabad has not been a 'responsible nuclear state'.
"Pakistan has always shown that on nuclear issues it cannot be looked at as a responsible nuclear state. Questions have always been raised on the proliferation of nuclear technology out of Pakistan. If reports are coming out that they are working with such a rogue state, then this is very serious," BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli told ANI.
According to highly placed U.S. sources, who are involved with the tracking of nuclear commerce, Pakistan is continuing to sell nuclear materials to North Korea, while at the same time urging the international community to accept its membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
In making this dramatic revelation, the sources said that entities of the Pakistan Energy Commission (PAEC) have been continuing to supply restricted items such as ' Monel ' and ' Inconel ' material to North Korea in violation of U.N. sanctions.
The sources said that nuclear materials supplied to the PAEC by Chinese entities have also found their way to North Korea, with the China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA) recently receiving a written complaint that supplies of a Chinese company, Beijing Suntech Technology Company Limited, to Pakistan were being diverted to North Korea by the Pakistani authorities.
The Chinese Government hushed up the matter as it could have consequences for Beijing's bid to support Pakistan at the NSG. But this information leaked out of North Korea and came to the knowledge Of Western Governments who are members of the NSG.
In another alarming revelation, informed sources said Pakistan has been giving North Korea equipment which has a direct bearing On producing nuclear weapons. Sources said the Beijing Suntech Technology Company Limited manufactures Vacuum Induction Melting (VIM) furnaces which find application in refining hard metals such as uranium and plutonium, which are used in making nuclear warhead cores. Pakistan is known to have procured these items from China and has passed them along to North Korea.
