Yaum-e-Takbeer –28 May, 1998 has remained a hallmark in the history of Pakistan –the day when Pakistan became a declared nuclear power in South Asia, thereby establishing a strategic balance in the region. Today the Pakistani nation proudly pays homage to our national heroes whose indefatigable efforts rendered this epic mission possible. On May 11-13, 1998, India conducted a total of five nuclear explosions and, in a befitting response, Pakistan detonated five explosions on 28 May and a sixth on 30 May 1998. Yaum-e Takbeer adds a spiritual fuel to the ideology of Pakistan as our nuclear programme has become our sovereign asset. Alhamdulillah, with vigilant and poised coordination between National Command Authority (NCA), Strategic Plans Division (SPD) and Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), Pakistan’s nuclear programme is fully committed to addressing our war and peace time challenges.
Nuclear safety & security: To achieve the goals of nuclear safety and security, the National Command Authority (NCA) was established in February 2000 by the country’s National Security Council (NSC). Similarly, Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) was established in 2001 to be operated under NCA. Pakistan has implemented a number of measures to improve its nuclear security and safety, including a regulatory framework, a unified command and control system and cooperation with the IAEA. With a record of zero nuclear theft incidents and a foolproof security system, Pakistan holds better ranking than India’s. According to the 2023 Nuclear Security Index (NTI) released by the Washington-based Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) in July 2023, Pakistan ranked 19th out of 22 countries for its handling of hazardous materials. Notably, Pakistan is also focusing on the safe disposal of radioactive waste and spent fuel.
Full spectrum deterrence & strategic stability: Needless to say, Pakistan’s nuclear preparation and doctrine have been based on fairly clear and straightforward means to forge a credible deterrent to counter India. Most agreeably, strategic stability is the pursuit to be used by a state to maintain ‘’the stability of the nuclear balance by reducing the incentives to either side to strike first’’. Pakistan nuclear doctrine is based on full spectrum deterrence (FSD), thereby gradually filling the strategic gaps in its force posture with nuclear-tipped missiles through air, sea and land-based delivery systems to deny India any advantage in the warfare domain.
Since 2011, Pakistan has been getting control over the Nsar—tactical nuclear weapons (TNWs) like other strategic nuclear forces. Moreover, Pakistan’s current force posture walks a fine line between nuclear war fighting and a robust deterrence. With no No-First-Use affirmation, Pakistan’s build-up of offensive capabilities under a nuclear war fighting force posture is a recipe for possible nuclear use. Needless to say Pakistan‘s FSD has minimized chances of war in South Asia and has also deterred India’s CSDs –sponsored designs.
Pak missile programme: Pakistan’s missile system gradually underwent modernization. India’s firing pursuit to acquire multiple missile system capability–particularly the BMD system –launching hypersonic cruise missiles, hypervelocity-gliding projectiles, and anti-satellite kill vehicle capability– has given a new variant to India-Pakistan’s competitive strategic dyad. Needless to say, India’s quest of expanding its missile arsenal has been motivating Pakistan to adopt appropriate measures regarding its nuclear forces to ensure the credibility of its FSD posture. Pakistan’s missile system is the embodiment of an MIRV -led BMD system consisting of short and long range ballistic and cruise missiles. Nevertheless, India’s Hindutva-led pursuit of nuclear weapon modernization, particularly its Agni –V (MIRV) test (March 11) posits new variants to strategic stability syndrome in South Asia.
Peaceful uses of nuclear energy: Recently, The IAEA –Pakistan extended collaboration to promote peaceful uses of nuclear energy, particularly in agriculture, medicine ,and climate change .Nuclear energy is viewed as an engine to achieve sustainable development goals. In a nutshell, expansion of the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear energy is a key tenet of Pakistan’s nuclear programme. Thus, the state is moving forward to expand the role of nuclear power, including the development of new power plants to address its lingering energy crisis. Thus, expanding Pakistan’s nuclear energy generation capacity and pairing it with other renewable sources of energy could not only help Pakistan alleviate its energy crisis but also will produce a positive impact on the climate change.
NetZero & Pakistan energy needs: Pakistan’s energy policy aims to achieve sustainability and economic security by investing in nuclear power plants to meet net zero targets. Nuclear power is a stable energy source that produces nearly zero carbon dioxide emissions, and it’s one of the few low carbon energy sources that can generate electricity, heat, and hydrogen. Thus, ‘’ an energy system established on net zero targets is crucial for Pakistan to not only counter climate catastrophe and ensure access to climate justice but to also achieve access to sustainable, equitable, and economically feasible energy sources.” To strive to limit the global temperature to 1.5°C means halving the CO2 emissions by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2050.
So far, Pakistan has six nuclear power reactors (NRPs) with a capacity of 3,530 MW, contributing about 27 percent of the total electricity generation in the national grid in December 2022. All these plants are pressurized water reactors (PWR), the technology mainly used worldwide. With the construction of prospective C-5, via China’s cooperation, the new reactor is anticipated to add an additional 1,000 megawatts of electricity to the national grid upon completion. Pakistan needs the installation of a new generation of power plants.
Role in food and health security. The recently formed SIFC is boosting the role of PAEC–sponsored agriculture research institutes, including the focus on fertilizers and pests’ control of various crops. Food irradiation, a method that uses radiation to kill harmful microorganisms in food, also provides a means to increase shelf life and minimize the wastage of crops. The use of nuclear technology in the health sector has remained one of the top priorities of the PAEC. The promotion of nuclear medicine in cancer treatment remains an important health objective.
