After 9/11, countries around the world are re-evaluating the safety and security of their nuclear facilities against sabotage acts. An act of nuclear terrorism on research reactors is of very remote probability in Pakistan, since the controls and security measures around various nuclear installations and radiation facilities in Pakistan are enough to deter and delay a terrorist attack and any such attempt would be detected in the early stages. Moreover, the sabotage act on nuclear installation is not very attractive to a terrorist group in general and specifically within the context of Pakistan. Nevertheless, the paper aims to provide information about the evolution of research reactors, barriers available for their protection, various modes of nuclear terrorism, and physical protection measures required to reduce the probability of terrorist acts. In addition, Pakistan’s response to nuclear terrorism and improvements needed to manage such emergencies (if they happen) are discussed in this paper.
