The International Physical Protection Advisory Service Mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency to Pakistan concluded in Islamabad today.

At the conclusion of the mission, the IAEA Mission Team expressed its appreciation for the cooperation, transparency and professionalism extended by Pakistan throughout the review.

Undertaken at the invitation of Pakistan’s government, the mission was hosted by Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority, in close coordination with Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission and other relevant national organizations, to facilitate a transparent review of Pakistan's national nuclear security regime.

The International Physical Protection Advisory Service team, composed of international experts, reviewed the national legal and regulatory framework governing nuclear security.

The team also visited the KANUPP Decommissioning Project, covering the former Karachi Nuclear Power Plant Unit-1.

The International Physical Protection Advisory Service Mission Team Leader underscored that the IPPAS team's was very rewarding as it had closely examined Pakistan's nuclear security regime and its practical applications.

The IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security also welcomed the successful completion of the first International Physical Protection Advisory Service Mission in Pakistan and stated that it marked the country's commitment to further enhancing the regulatory and operational aspects of its well-established nuclear security regime.

The Agency further acknowledged Pakistan's sustained commitment to nuclear security and its constructive engagement with the IPPAS process.

Responding to the conclusion of the mission, the Chairman of the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority said that Pakistan accorded the highest priority to the safety and security of its nuclear installations, adding that the successful conduct of the International Physical Protection Advisory Service mission reflected Pakistan's transparent, responsible and rigorous regulatory oversight.

He welcomed the valuable interaction and engagement by the IAEA IPPAS team, and affirmed that Pakistan stood ready to contribute its expertise to the global nuclear security architecture and would continue to foster international cooperation for the safe, secure and peaceful application of nuclear technology for socio-economic development.

The International Physical Protection Advisory Service is a peer review service through which the IAEA assists Member States in strengthening their national nuclear security regimes.

It provides independent advice on the implementation of the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and its 2005 Amendment, as well as on relevant international good practices.