Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Senate Defence Committee Chairman Mushahid Hussain Syed Saturday said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took a bold, courageous and timely decision of conducting nuclear tests on May 28, 1998 to readjust the balance of power in the region.

The senator said that the timely decision of conducting nuclear tests had provided a strategic strength to Pakistan and it also equalised the military strength in the region.

“Despite tremendous international pressure, civil and military leadership jointly decided to conduct nuclear test to give a befitting response to India,” he said while addressing a function organised by Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) in connection with the anniversary of Pakistan’s nuclear tests.

Mushahid said Pakistan rejected international pressure and did not accept American financial aid for refraining from conduction the nuclear tests. He said Pakistan took a timely decision to respond to India’s nuclear tests. He said Premier Nawaz deserved the credit for conducting nuclear tests despite the international pressure.

He said Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had laid the foundation of the nuclear programme, which continued in the successive governments and finally Pakistan became seventh nuclear power of the world on May 28, 1998. Replying to a question, Mushahid said there was absolutely no negative repercussion of the nuclear test.

Referring to the role of media before and after the nuclear tests in 1998, Mushahid lauded media for projecting aspirations of people and the government at that time. “Being a nuclear power, now we are playing a pivotal role in the region,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, ISSI head Dr Shireen Mazari said the decision of conducting nuclear tests in 1998 was very important, as it had provided a strategic strength to Pakistan to improve its defence and play a pivotal role in the regional politics on equal basis.