British police said on Tuesday they had opened an investigation into a package containing uranium that was seized at London’s Heathrow Airport.

The package was discovered by border agents during a routine search on December 29, police said.

The package had originated in Pakistan and arrived on a flight from Oman, according to The Sun, which first reported the story.

The uranium was found in a shipment of scrap metal and investigators were looking into whether it was the result of “poor handling” in Pakistan, the BBC reported.

“I want to reassure the public that the amount of contaminated material was extremely small and has been assessed by experts as posing no threat to the public,” police commander Richard Smith said in a statement to British media.

“Although our investigation remains ongoing, from our inquiries so far, it does not appear to be linked to any direct threat.”

Meanwhile, Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said the ministry had seen the reports.

“No information to this effect has been shared with us officially. We are confident that the reports are not factual,” she said.


Additional input by Naveed Siddiqui

Opinion

Editorial

Military convictions
Updated 22 Dec, 2024

Military convictions

Pakistan’s democracy, still finding its feet, cannot afford such compromises on core democratic values.
Need for talks
22 Dec, 2024

Need for talks

FOR a long time now, the country has been in the grip of relentless political uncertainty, featuring the...
Vulnerable vaccinators
22 Dec, 2024

Vulnerable vaccinators

THE campaign to eradicate polio from Pakistan cannot succeed unless the safety of vaccinators and security personnel...
Strange claim
Updated 21 Dec, 2024

Strange claim

In all likelihood, Pakistan and US will continue to be ‘frenemies'.
Media strangulation
Updated 21 Dec, 2024

Media strangulation

Administration must decide whether it wishes to be remembered as an enabler or an executioner of press freedom.
Israeli rampage
21 Dec, 2024

Israeli rampage

ALONG with the genocide in Gaza, Israel has embarked on a regional rampage, attacking Arab and Muslim states with...