In a statement, the Foreign Office said that any deliberate targeting of nuclear facilities constituted a serious violation of international law, including international humanitarian law, the United Nations Charter, and the principles of nuclear safety and security outlined by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
“Such reckless actions carry potentially catastrophic and irreversible consequences for human life, the environment, and regional as well as global peace and security,” the Foreign Office spokesperson said.
The statement came a day after a drone strike triggered a fire at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the UAE. According to the UAE defence ministry, no casualties or radiation leaks were reported.
Officials said two additional drones were successfully intercepted, while the drone that penetrated the country’s air defences struck an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the nuclear facility.
The Abu Dhabi Media Office confirmed that radiological safety levels remained unaffected and no radioactive material was released. The UAE’s Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation later declared the plant safe and operational.
The UAE defence ministry said the drones had been launched from the “western border” but did not provide further details.
During the ongoing regional conflict that erupted after US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, Iran has repeatedly targeted Gulf states hosting American military bases, including attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure in the UAE and neighbouring countries.
Pakistan stressed that civilian nuclear installations must never be targeted under any circumstances, describing the inviolability of such facilities as a well-established international norm that must be upheld without exception.
The Foreign Office also urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint, adhere to international law and avoid further escalation that could destabilise the wider region.
“Dialogue and diplomacy, consistent with the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter, remain the only viable path towards lasting peace, stability, and de-escalation in the region,” the spokesperson added.
