Pakistani exporting N-materials to his country sent to US prison

A Pakistani national has been sentenced to 37 months in prison by a US court for illegally exporting nuclear-related materials to his country.

Maryland-resident Nadeem Akhtar, 46, and his conspirators used a US-based company to obtain and export radiation detection devices, resins for coolant water purification, calibration and switching equipment, attenuators and surface refinishing abrasives to Pakistan.

Worth $400 million, these equipment and device used in activities related to nuclear explosives, nuclear reactors or the processing and production of nuclear-related materials were illegally exported to restricted Pakistani organisations, which are engaged in nuclear activities.

These include Pakistan's Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission; Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) and its subordinate entities, such as the Chasma Nuclear Power Plant I in Kundian, and the research reactor maintained by Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, a constituent institution of the PAEC in Nilhore, Pakistan, specialising in nuclear-related research and development.

"Nadeem Akhtar conspired to violate export regulations by selling controlled items while misrepresenting what they were and to whom they would be sold," said the US Attorney Rod J Rosenstein, in a statement.