Did India hit Pakistan’s nuclear site during Operation Sindoor? Viral ‘Radiological Safety Bulletin’ purportedly issued by Islamabad fuels speculations
A document labeled “Radiological Safety Bulletin” from the Government of Pakistan’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, dated 13 May 2025, has surfaced on the internet, igniting a storm of speculation. It alleges a confirmed radiation leak at a facility located in Northern Pakistan, attributing the incident to a mechanical failure during the transfer of an Indium-192 capsule used for non-destructive testing (NDT).
Purported ‘Radiological Safety Bulletin’ by Pakistani govt has gone viral on social media
The document—marked “CONFIDENTIAL – IMMEDIATE RELEASE”—details exposure levels, containment efforts, and environmental assessments. But more than what it says, it is when it says it that raises eyebrows. The radiation leak is reported to have occurred on 11 May 2025, a full day after ceasefire was brokered between the two nations as India’s massive cross-border response crippled Pakistan’s air defence and strike capabilities.
Several social media users have shared the document on X, contributing to the claims that India’s airstrike in response to Pakistani retaliation had struck sites that may have housed nuclear facilities.
However, a critical caveat must be underscored: The authenticity of this bulletin cannot be vouched for. It may very well be a fabrication—similar to other alleged Government of Pakistan releases that have recently done the rounds on social media, such as the bogus press statements regarding former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s alleged sexual assault in custody and even false reports of his death. The fact that the document mentions the radiological leak took place at around “24-55” hours also reveals that the purported bulletin is probably a fake document.
Online speculation surrounding India’s purported strikes near a Pakistani nuclear facility has only added fuel to the credibility of the so-called ‘Radiological Safety Bulletin,’ which has rapidly gone viral across the internet.
In the fog of war and political chaos, disinformation campaigns are rampant, and caution is essential when interpreting such documents.
What does the purported ‘Radiological Safety Bulletin’ reveal
If we temporarily accept the document at face value, several developments emerge that merit attention:
1. Timing & context
The radiation leak coincides exactly with India’s reported surgical air and missile strikes across key Pakistani Air Force (PAF) installations—from Skardu to Masroor—as part of Operation Sindoor. Notably, within 48 hours of these strikes, a ceasefire was abruptly brokered, despite Pakistan’s earlier belligerent posture.
2. Sensitive material & institutional involvement
The leaked document references Indium-192, a radioactive isotope commonly used in industrial testing but also potentially found in dual-use facilities that may fall under Pakistan’s nuclear infrastructure. The fact that the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) were involved suggests this was not just a private industrial accident.
3. Panic in the top ranks
There have been credible reports indicating that Pakistan’s top leadership sought urgent U.S. intervention after India’s retaliation, fearing that New Delhi might target Pakistan’s nuclear command infrastructure. According to diplomatic sources, India’s strikes had generated panic about the vulnerability of Pakistan’s so-called nuclear deterrent.
4. Actions taken Post-Leak
The memo states that exposure levels hit 14.2 mSv/hour at the incident site, prompting a 300-meter precautionary zoneand emergency medical screenings. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was formally notified, and an independent audit was launched—unusual measures for a supposedly minor mechanical failure.
A Nuclear close call?
Even if the bulletin turns out to be a hoax or disinformation, the circumstances surrounding Operation Sindoor, Pakistan’s sudden shift from aggression to diplomacy, and widespread unverified rumors of a nuclear scare, all point toward a serious internal crisis in Pakistan’s strategic establishment.
If the bulletin is real, even partially, it would mean that India’s strikes came dangerously close to—or directly impacted—a sensitive nuclear-linked site, shaking the core assumptions of South Asia’s deterrence stability. This may explain Islamabad’s desperation for an immediate ceasefire and international mediation.
Whether India struck Pakistan’s nuclear site or not, message conveyed was received loud and clear
While this document’s authenticity remains unverified and it could very well be fake news, the strategic behavior exhibited by both countries post-conflict tells its own story. Whether India struck a nuclear-adjacent facility or simply demonstrated its capacity to do so, the message was received loud and clear in Rawalpindi.
At the very least, the viral bulletin—real or not—has reignited the debate about the credibility and survivability of Pakistan’s nuclear command infrastructure under real-time kinetic pressure. And that alone, in the cutthroat logic of deterrence, may have changed the rules of the game.
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