DESPITE vagaries of Covid-19, people of Pakistan are celebrating ‘Yaum-e-Takbeer’ (Day of {Allah’s} Greatness) today to mark the historic moment when Pakistan successfully detonated nuclear devices in the Chagai district, Balochistan; and joined the prestigious and exclusive club of nuclear weapon states. Pakistan was compelled to test the nuclear weapon in response to a series of nuclear tests by India on May 11 and 13 of the same year, 1998 besides first nuclear test of May 1974, which was ironically dubbed as ‘Smiling Buddha’.
May 28 is a proud moment in the otherwise checkered history of Pakistan as its scientists, engineers and technicians proved to the world that they were capable of making defence of the country invincible in the backdrop of unending threats to its security ever since partition of the sub-continent in 1947. Pakistan did not become a nuclear power by choice as it was left with no option but to pursue the nuclear path after realizing that its very survival was at stake due to aggressive designs and constant conspiracies of its eastern neighbour. Fears about security and survival were not imaginary but based on historical realities as Indian conspiracy and aggression led to separation of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). That was not the end as India, till today, is covertly sponsoring terrorism through its agents in Iran and bases in Afghanistan to weaken Pakistan, proof of which has also been shared with the world community in the form of a dossier. Similarly, recent actions of the Modi Government in Jammu and Kashmir – illegal annexation of the disputed territory and a multitude of measures being taken to change demography of the area on the pattern of what Israel is doing in occupied Arab territories – clear signal that there is no end to India’s territorial ambitions and expansionist designs.
These designs became more evident after India carried out second round of nuclear tests in 1998 that changed not only South Asia’s strategic dynamics but also tone and tenor of New Delhi, which started hurling threats on Pakistan in line with its aggressive and expansionist agenda. Then Indian Home Minister L.K. Advani warned Pakistan that it should “realize the change in the geo-strategic environment in the region and the world” and that the country must submit to Indian dictation otherwise “will be futile and costly for Pakistan.” In this backdrop, Pakistan had no choice but to go for nuclear tests of its own to restore the strategic imbalance that was serving as an incentive for New Delhi to embark upon some misadventure. Otherwise, Pakistan was against nuclear arms race in South Asia and in pursuance of its policy it floated a number of proposals aimed at reciprocal and mutual steps to make the region a nuclear weapons free zone, all of which were rejected by India and the world tacitly accepted its nuclear ambitions on the premise of neutralizing growing strategic influence of our great neighbour China. Unlike India, Pakistan has no offensive strategic approach or aggressive hegemonic designs and its nuclear capability is purely for self-defence and it has been vindicated on a number of critical moments in the past that this capability has contributed overwhelmingly in preventing real conflicts.
India was also flexing its muscles when Pakistan Air Force sent a loud and clear message following hot pursuit bombing of Pakistani territory by Indian air force but nuclear realities forced decision-makers in New Delhi to change their plans. Pakistan has a policy of ‘credible minimum deterrence’ which requires preparations and readiness to thwart designs of the enemy and there is every reason to stick to the policy as it has served and would continue to serve the cause of national security and defence. Some countries are hatching conspiracies against Pakistan’s nuclear programme and their ultimate objective is to force the country either to roll it back or render it ineffective but appreciably successive governments religiously guarded the core national interests. Pakistan must not succumb to any pressure on the issue of its nuclear programme, otherwise there would be no way to prevent political and economic subjugation of the country in a hostile regional and global environment. On the occasion of ‘Yaum-e-Takbeer’, this paper, which has a proud legacy of championing the cause of nuclear programme of the country (founder Zahid Malik authored credible books on the subject) salutes all those whose contribution made Pakistan the first nuclear power of the Muslim world and strengthened the cause of defence. We also salute founders of the programme including Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Dr A Q Khan as well as the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who resisted global pressure and took the courageous decision of testing Pakistan’s nuclear device.