Kirana Hills
Current Scenario: Clarification on Kirana Hills and Nuclear Safety
In light of recent military tensions between India and Pakistan, rumors circulated on social media and international platforms suggesting that Pakistan’s Kirana Hills, a known nuclear site, may have been targeted during India’s Operation Sindoor. These speculations triggered concerns about potential radiation leaks from the site. However, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has officially dismissed these claims, stating that there is no evidence of any radiation leak or compromise of nuclear safety in Pakistan.
The Indian Air Force also clarified that it did not target Kirana Hills during its operations. This statement, reported by The Indian Express, has helped quell fears of a nuclear incident, reinforcing that despite the escalation, nuclear facilities remain secure and uncompromised according to available data from the IAEA.
The Kirana Hills
The Kirana Hills, often referred to locally as the “Black Mountains” due to their dark, rocky terrain, are a rugged and geologically unique range located in Sargodha District, Punjab, Pakistan. Stretching between the township of Rabwah (Chanab Nagar) and the city of Sargodha, this modest yet significant hill range has played a critical role in Pakistan’s defense and nuclear history.
Geography and Geology
The highest peak of the Kirana Hills stands at 1,050 feet (320 meters), with the average elevation around 600 feet (180 meters). The range covers an area of 100 square miles (260 km²) and spans about 12 miles (19 km) in length.
Geologically, the hills are composed primarily of hardened shales and slates, with minor quantities of quartzites, hematite layers, rhyolites, tuff, and diabase. This unique composition distinguishes them from nearby ranges such as the Salt Range, located approximately 130 km away. These characteristics caught the attention of British geologists as early as 1913, and later of Pakistani scientists for resource exploration.
Natural Climate and Ecology
Kirana Hills lie in a semi-arid steppe zone with extreme weather conditions. Temperatures can soar to 50°C (122°F) in the summer and drop to 0°C (32°F) in winter. Despite the harsh climate, the region supports grasslands and is notably home to wild boars, which have become an ecological feature of the area.
Strategic and Military Significance
The Kirana Hills have long been of strategic interest to the Pakistan Ministry of Defense. In the 1970s, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) established a radar station and later developed the location into a part of the Mushaf Air Force Base.
By 1978–79, the Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers began boring tunnels—some extending 100 to 150 feet—into the hills. These were intended as potential nuclear test sites, with infrastructure capable of withstanding blasts of 24–40 kilotonnes of TNT.
Kirana-I: Subcritical Nuclear Testing
Between 1983 and 1995, the site was central to Pakistan’s subcritical nuclear testing program, codenamed Kirana-I. Although these tests did not involve actual nuclear detonations, they were crucial for validating nuclear weapon designs.
Scientific institutions such as PINSTECH, Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), and Metallurgical Laboratories (ML) worked collaboratively at Kirana to test the physics packages, evaluate explosive dynamics, and simulate nuclear detonation scenarios using HMX and PBX explosives. The first subcritical test was conducted on 11 March 1983.
Operations were carried out secretly at night to evade U.S. satellite surveillance. Wildlife, particularly wild boars, had to be managed to prevent interference with testing operations.
Post-1995 Transition and Present Status
Under pressure from the Clinton administration in the mid-1990s, Pakistan reportedly relocated its nuclear testing activities to the Kala Chitta Range in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Nevertheless, Kirana Hills remains an active military installation, with its radar and surveillance facilities fully operational.
In 1995, a partial site remediation was initiated, and certain areas were opened for public tourism, though most of the site remains restricted.
FAQ
1. Where are Kirana Hills?
The Kirana Hills are located in the Sargodha District of Punjab, Pakistan, nestled between the township of Rabwah (now Chanab Nagar) and the city of Sargodha. These rocky hills are part of a defense reservation under the Ministry of Defense (MoD) and are known for their crucial role in Pakistan’s nuclear weapons development program.
2. What is the height of Kirana Hills?
The highest peak of the Kirana Hills reaches an elevation of 1,050 feet (320 meters) above the surrounding plain, while the average height across the range is about 600 feet (180 meters). The hills cover an area of approximately 100 square miles (260 km²) and stretch for about 12 miles (19 km) in length.
3. What are the hills near Sargodha called?
The prominent hills near Sargodha are the Kirana Hills, locally referred to as the “Black Mountains” due to their distinctive dark-colored rocks. They are geologically different from the nearby Salt Range, located about 130 km away.
4. Geological and Strategic Significance
Geologically, the Kirana Hills are composed of shales, slates, quartzites, and hematite, with traces of rhyolites, diabase, and tuff. These rocks were first studied extensively in 1913 by British geologists and later by the Geological Survey of Pakistan, which also discovered uranium deposits in the 1970s, leading to mining and further strategic use of the area.
In the late 1970s, the Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers began boring tunnels into the hills for nuclear test simulation, preparing facilities capable of containing blasts of up to 40 kilotonnes of TNT.
Subcritical Nuclear Testing at Kirana Hills
From 1983 to 1995, Kirana Hills were the site of 24 subcritical nuclear experiments under the codename Kirana-I. These experiments involved testing the internal components of nuclear weapons without triggering a full-scale nuclear explosion. They were vital to advancing Pakistan’s nuclear program in secrecy.
Institutions like PINSTECH, KRL, and Metallurgical Labs contributed to the project, working on explosive materials, triggering mechanisms, and the physics of nuclear detonation. These experiments took place largely at night to avoid detection by American spy satellites.
5. Does India hit the Nuclear Facility of Pakistan?
No, there has been no official or confirmed attack by India on the nuclear facility at Kirana Hills or any other nuclear installation in Pakistan. However, both countries have maintained a policy of mutual deterrence and closely monitor each other’s strategic sites through intelligence and surveillance operations. Tensions have flared multiple times, but open conflict targeting nuclear assets has been avoided due to the risks of escalation.
Follow US WhatsApp Channel
Follow US Telegram Channel
Share this articles
