New Delhi [India], March 19 (ANI): The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said that the recent US intelligence report, flagging Islamabad as a nuclear threat, highlights the risks posed by Pakistan due to the country's 'clandestine history of nuke proliferation.'

Addressing a regular press briefing here, the official spokesperson of the MEA, Randir Jaiswal, stated that Pakistan has a history of clandestine nuclear proliferation, and such observations once again bring attention to concerns surrounding its track record.

'As far as Pakistan is concerned, they have a history. They have a history of clandestine nuclear nonproliferation, and statements like this again make it clear what kind of threat they pose to the world because of their clandestine nuclear operations,' Jaiswal said.

On March 18, a report issued by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in the US classified Pakistan, along with major powers such as Russia and China, as posing a significant nuclear threat to the US.

The US intelligence chief, Tulsi Gabbard, presented the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment (ATA) in which the US Intelligence Community (IC) has identified several critical areas concerning Pakistan's evolving military capabilities, its role in regional instability, and the persistent threat of terrorism.

The report assesses that Pakistan is researching and developing a variety of advanced missile delivery systems.

Crucially, the report, released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, noted that Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile development potentially could include Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) with a range capable of striking the US.

'The US secure nuclear deterrent continues to ensure safety in the Homeland against strategic threats. However, Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and Pakistan have been researching and developing an array of novel, advanced, or traditional missile delivery systems with nuclear and conventional payloads that put our Homeland within range,' Gabbard said in her opening remarks before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence for the annual 'Worldwide Threats' hearing.

As per the report, Pakistan also remains a central concern in the global fight against Islamist militancy.

The US, it said, continues to face a complex and evolving threat landscape with a geographically diverse set of Islamist terrorist actors seeking to propagate their ideology globally and harm Americans, even as al-Qaida and ISIS are significantly weaker than at their respective peaks during the early 2000s and mid-2010s.

The report identifies ISIS-K (Islamic State - Khorasan Province) as a primary external plotting threat in South Asia. ISIS-K operatives are noted to be operating within the region, utilising ungoverned or poorly monitored areas for recruitment and planning, it said.

'US military operations and collaboration with international partners in Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia, and Syria during 2025 removed key terrorist leaders and operatives, degrading the capability of al-Qaida and ISIS to pursue terrorist attacks against the Homeland and US interests overseas,' the report said.

In his press briefing today MEA spokesperson Jaiswal also expressed concern over recent strikes carried out by Pakistan into Afghanistan, condemning the targeting of civilian infrastructure.

'We have seen strikes from Pakistan into Afghanistan. We have condemned these strikes as they have targeted civilian infrastructure and caused significant hardship to the people. We unequivocally condemn these airstrikes,' the MEA said.

Earlier on Tuesday, India slammed Pakistan for its barbaric airstrike on the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds and left several injured.

As per a statement by the MEA, India urged the international community to hold the perpetrators of the criminal act accountable, extended condolences to the bereaved families and said that it stands in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan.

The statement stated that India unequivocally condemns Pakistan's barbaric airstrike on the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul on the night of March 16.

'This is a cowardly and unconscionable act of violence that has claimed the lives of a large number of civilians in a facility which can by no means be justified as a military target. Pakistan is now trying to dress up a massacre as a military operation,' the statement read.

It further called the heinous act of aggression by Pakistan a blatant assault on Afghanistan's sovereignty and a direct threat to regional peace and stability.

'That this attack was carried out during the holy month of Ramzan, a time of peace, reflection, and mercy among Muslim communities across the world, makes it all the more reprehensible. There is no faith, no law, and no morality that can justify the deliberate targeting of a hospital and its patients', it read.

'India extends its deepest condolences to the bereaved families, wishes a swift recovery to those injured, and stands in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan in this tragic moment. We also reiterate our unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan,' the statement added.

According to Tolo News, over 400 people have been reported killed in the deadly airstrike carried out by Pakistan on an addiction treatment hospital in Kabul. (ANI)