Pakistan: Toxic Gas Leakage At Nuclear Base Kills Two

An important newspaper of Pakistan The Nation has revealed that toxic gas leakage at Khushab nuclear facility killed two persons. The leakage has been posing threat to lives of thousands of people. It is not yet clear whether it is incident or an act of terrorism. Terrorists have been trying to get control of nuclear falicity of Pakistan. If that happens it will be disastrous for the whole world.

According to The Nation editorial,it was sheer luck that averted a terrific disaster. An accident in a nuclear facility in Khushab on Tuesday, which killed two workers, should serve as a wake-up call. There was nothing but fear and panic in the area. A 16-km zone circling the power plant was sealed.

The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission in a statement issued to the press explained that there was no threat to public life. Apparently, there was no radiation fallout, but only toxic gas leakage, yet that itself is very hazardous and it was not surprising that it killed two people on the spot.

The PAEC must take steps to ensure that there is no radiation emission to cause human or environmental damage because the accident itself points to the serious flaws in the maintenance and functioning of such sites.

The incident should raise concerns about the safety of other nuclear facilities in the country as well. Any negligence can have horrific consequences. The Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded in 1986, sending highly radioactive fallout into the atmosphere. Thousands of deaths were believed to be related to the accident and its effects are still being experienced.

A nuclear power plant is a highly sensitive place and requires extreme care. It seems that the Khushab nuclear complex doesn't match the safety requirements set by IAEA. A probe needs to be conducted and those responsible must be taken to task. The amount of gas or radioactive material for that matter emitted into the atmosphere has to be assessed, besides chalking out a possible plan for resettling the local population as a precautionary measure. There is a need to stress upon the scientists, engineers and other personnel working at the plant to exercise greater care in its maintenance. It is time the new government looked into the matter seriously. It has the duty to provide foolproof security arrangements to all such sites and there should be no room for laxity as a number of lives are at stake.
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