May 28: Pakistan
Became 7th Nuclear Power in the World By Sajjad Shaukat JR175SS49
While showing
aggressive designs, on May 11, 1998, the then Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari
Vajpayee surprised the international community by announcing that India has
conducted three nuclear tests earlier that day. On May 13, 1998, India
conducted two more nuclear tests.
In order to
create balance of power in South Asia, Pakistan successfully conducted five
nuclear tests on May 28, 1998.
Therefore, with
national zeal and fervour in different parts of the country, Youm-e-Takbeer
(The day of greatness) is celebrated every year on May 28 as the national day
to mark the conduction of nuclear tests, as Pakistan became the first Muslim
and the 7th nuclear power in the world.
While, both the
neighboring countries have waged three wars, especially on the issue of the
Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK), so Pakistan’s arch rival compelled Islamabad to
follow the suit. In this regard, it took only 17 days for Pakistan to
successfully carry out its five nuclear tests which were done on May 28 and the
sixth one on May 1998, at Chaghi in Balochistan in response to five nuclear
explosions detonated by India. For the purpose, about five thousands scientists
including Dr Samarmand Mubarik and particularly Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan had worked
day and night and made the defence of the country impregnable.
As regards Pakistan’s
atomic experiments, renowned journalist, Majid Nizami said, “Pakistan faced
tremendous pressure from India after it detonated five nuclear devices and
America in this scenario also did not want Pakistan to become a nuclear power.
US President Clinton telephoned the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif five times
besides offering him billions of dollars to refrain him from nuclear tests. In
this perspective, he further stated, Nawaz was receiving opinion from different
sections of society, and in the same connection, he also convened a meeting of
the editors wherein he (Majid Nizami) also gave the input.
New Delhi’s
war-mongering strategy against Pakistan could be judged from the fact that in
1974 India conducted first nuclear test at Pokhran Range in Rajhistan so as to
pressurize Islamabad.
It is
mentionable that when ZulfikarAli Bhutto, (The late) came to power, he paid
much attention to the nuclear programme of Pakistan, as he knew that India
would apply its coercive diplomacy on Islamabad or could attack our country. In
this context, while talking on a TV channel on May 28, 2012, Pakistani nuclear
scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan appreciated the efforts of former Prime Minister
Shaheed ZulfikarAli Bhutto for providing the opportunity to make the nuclear programme
of Pakistan successful. He also made it clear that Pakistan’s nuclear programme
was totally indigenous, but acquired materials from some western countries.
During many
crises such as Kargil issue of 1999 and attack on the Indian parliament by the militants
in 2001, New Delhi concentrated its troops across the Pakistan’s border, with
the intention to attack Pakistan, while raising a series of false allegations
against Islamabad. Pakistan was also compelled to deploy its Army along the
Pak-India border. But, India did not dare to initiate a war because of
Pakistan’s ‘Nukes.’ Similarly, in the past, Indian rulers had intended to
implement their doctrine of limited war in Kashmir, but they could not do so
owing to Pakistan’s nuclear weapons.
Particularly, in
the aftermath of false flag Mumbai terror attacks of 2008, India accused
Pakistan’s spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of supporting the
militants. Although Pak diplomats denied Indian self-fabricated story regarding
Mumbai catastrophe, but New Delhi adopted a threatening posture against
Islamabad. It once again deployed its troops across the Pakistani border.
Again, Pakistan also concentrated its military in order to give a matching
response to India.
It is notable
that in the aftermath of the false flag terror of Pulwama, very tension
escalated rapidly between India and Pakistan when on February 27, this year, in
response to the Indian so-called pre-emptive air strike near the town of Balakot, close to the border with Pakistan’s sector of
Kashmir, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) shot down two Indian Air Force (IAF)
fighter jets and launched aerial strikes at six targets in the (IOK). One of the two Indian air force pilots was taken into custody.
Truth about
India’s surgical strikes unmasked, when Indian top civil and military leaders
failed in providing any evidence in this respect.
Nevertheless, the myth of Indian so-called surgical strike
was further exposed, when Director
General of Pakistan Army’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations
(ISPR), Maj-Gen. Asif Ghafoor, while
referring to the statement of Indian India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma
Swaraj who admitted on April 18, 2019 that no Pakistani soldier or citizen died
in the air strike carried out by IAF across the border in Balakot, stated on April 19, 2019: “After India finally admitted that
their so-called air strike carried on February 26 in Balakot caused no
deaths and casualties…Hopefully, so will be about other false Indian claims
[such as] surgical strike of 2016, denial of shooting down of two Indian Air
Force [IAF] jets by Pakistan Air Force and claims about F16…Better late than
never.”
Nonetheless, in
the aftermath of Pulwama assault, India left no stone upturned in frightening
Pakistan through a prospective invasion, while Islamabad had also taken
defensive steps in response to meet any aggression of New Delhi. But, India
failed in implementing its plans to wage a conventional war with Pakistan due
to the fact that the latter also possesses nuclear arsenal which could destroy.
It is noteworthy
that the US dropped atomic bombs on Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,
as Tokyo had no such devices to retaliate. After the World War 11, nuclear
weapons were never used. These were only employed as a strategic threat. During
the heightened days of the Cold War, many crises arose in Suez Canal, Korea,
Cuba and Vietnam when America and the former Soviet Union were willing to use
atomic weapons, but they stopped because of the fear of nuclear war which could
culminate in the elimination of both the super powers. It was due to the
concept of ‘mutually assured destruction’ that the two rivals preferred to
resolve their differences through diplomacy.
Political
strategists agree that deterrence is a psychological concept that aims to
affect an opponent’s perceptions. In nuclear deterrence weapons are less usable
as their threat is enough in deterring an enemy that intends to use its armed
might.
While both the
neighbouring adversaries are nuclear powers, Indians should not ignore the
principles of deterrence, popularly known as balance of terror.In these terms,
India is badly mistaken, if it overestimates its own power and underestimates Pakistan’s
power. As Islamabad lacks conventional weapons vis-à-vis India, so it will have
to use atomic devices during a prolonged conflict which would result into
national suicide of India.
Moreover, it is
owing to atomic bombs that Pakistan can talk to India with honour and dignity,
discouraging India from casting an evil eye on our motherland.
Furthermore, as
Pakistan is the only declared nuclear country in the Islamic World, hence, it
has become special target of some western top officials and media persons who
continue their propaganda against Pakistan’s nuclear programme. They have been
creating doubts about the safety and security of Pakistan’s atomic weapons and
nuclear plants. Especially, in 2009 when the heavily-armed Taliban entered
Swat, Dir and Buner, US high officials and their media had exaggerated the
‘Talibinisation’ of whole Pakistan, while showing concerns about Pakistan’s
atomic arms. In that regard, the then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had
warned that Pakistan’s nuclear weapons could fall into the hands of terrorists.
But, when Pakistan’s armed forces ejected the Taliban insurgents out of these
areas by breaking their backbone, she started appreciating the capabilities of
Pakistan’s armed forces.
Likewise, when
terrorists had attacked on Pakistan’s Naval Airbase in Karachi on May 23, 2011,
US-led some western countries, including India and Israel exploited the
situation through disinformation about the security of Pak nukes. And,
terrorists’ assault on Kamra Base was successfully foiled by the personnel of
Pakistan Air Force, but, a baseless report, published in the New York Times had
indicated that suspected militants attacked a major Pakistani Air Force base
where some of the country’s nuclear weapons were considered to be stored in the
early hours of the militants’ attack. The ex-US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta
also stated day, “There is a danger of nuclear weapons of Pakistan, falling
into hands of terrorists.”
Undoubtedly,
Pakistan’s nuclear assets are in safe hands-well-protected and are under tight
security arrangements, having the best command and control system.
However, May 28
is celebrated as Youm-e-Takbeer by various political parties and social
organizations, including general masses with a pledge to make Pakistan a
stronger country, militarily and economically, among the comity of nations. No
doubt, on this very day of May 1998, Pakistan became the 7th nuclear power in
the world.
Sajjad Shaukat
writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic
Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International
Relations
Email:
sajjad_logic@yahoo.com
