On May 28, 1998, Pakistan successfully detonated five nuclear devices in the barren wastes of Chagai in Balochistan as response to a series of nuclear test explosions by India on May 11 and 13, the same year. Since then, Pakistan remembers this day as Youm-e-Takbeer, which means the day of greatness. As a result of successful nuclear detonations, Pakistan emerged as world’s 7th country having the nuclear weapon capability.
Earlier, on May 18, 1974 India surprised much of the world by detonating its first nuclear device, in an operation code named as “Smiling Buddha” at Pokhran test site, and termed it as a Peaceful Nuclear Explosion. This so-called ‘peaceful nuclear’ weapons test was done by illegally siphoning off nuclear material from CIRUS reactor, which Canada had transferred to India on the condition that it would be used only for peaceful purposes.
In response to this nuclear test, Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was established with a mission to stop further illicit proliferation of nuclear material. Today, India wishes to join the NSG whose action was the very impetus for the body’s creation.
To prevent South Asia from a nuclear arm race, Pakistan proposed various proposals including the post-1974 South Asia nuclear weapon-free zone, and the post-1998 Pakistan-India strategic restraint regime. India has consistently spurned these proposals. Fortunately or unfortunately, Pakistan’s anti-nuclear approach remained unwelcomed internationally. However, India’s subsequent nuclear tests left Pakistan with no option but to restore the balance of power in the region by establishing nuclear parity.
The complex strategic environment in South Asia has been witnessing rapid changes. The two major actors, Pakistan and India, along with their hostilities and hegemonic aspirations by latter has created a security dilemma. Owing to various territorial disputes, Pakistan and India have had a complex relationship, which is yet to come out of its precarious mode. From the very beginning, Indian leadership pursued hegemonic policies to deter and dictate Pakistan on crucial issues including Kashmir.
India’s ambition of achieving Great Power status is clear and the most proximate impediment of this power quest is Pakistan. With the help of West, India is engaged in a major arms build-up, which has already tilted balance of power in its favor. Pakistan’s conventional capabilities are increasingly becoming insufficient to maintain balance of power in the region. India has equipped itself with sea-based nuclear deterrent. Nuclear powered submarines like Arihant has already weaponised the Indian Ocean that was once a nuclear weapon-free ocean.
At the very same time, India has instigated a malicious propaganda against Pakistan’s nuclear weapon capability. Pakistan’s nuclear programme has consistently been targeted through orchestrated campaign and negative narratives based on unsubstantiated allegations. The promotion of these myths has sustained international discriminatory approach towards Pakistan particularly in the field of nuclear assistance and cooperation.
Ironically, Indian nuclear and missile build-up accompanied with its massive conventional force that underwrites its aggressive doctrine of ‘Cold Start’ has been rarely discussed. This year, on April 9, India became the first nuclear littoral State of Indian Ocean to test a submarine launched ballistic missile. This makes India the biggest and fastest proliferator of nuclear weapons in the history of the region. Given that India’s nuclear weapons programme was originally motivated more by the prestige factor, Pakistan’s nuclear odyssey was a defensive response to security paranoia, spawned by India.
In such grave circumstances, Pakistan’s conventional forces are insufficient to deter India’s threat of use of force or actual use of force. In order to maintain strategic equilibrium in hostile environment, Pakistan sees its nuclear capability as a political instrument rather than military tool. Pakistan’s nuclear capability has a history of defensive development. It had to pursue nuclear capability not by choice but by compulsion of circumstances due to growing nuclear as well as conventional asymmetry and its threat perception vis-à-vis India. In contemporary affairs, Pakistan’s nuclear weapons programme has been a target of harsh and unjustifiable criticism. The deliberate maligning propaganda, especially from our neighborhood, which has introduced nuclear weapons in South Asian theater, is unfair and biased.
Pakistan has repeatedly assured that it strictly abides by the concept of credible minimum deterrence and its nuclear programme is only aimed at maintaining peace and stability in South Asia. Pakistan has no desire to engage in nuclear arms race with any country; however it will utilise all its available resources to defend territorial integrity from external threats.
Pakistan’s defence has become impregnable due to its nuclear weapon. That’s why, On May 28, Youm-e-Takbeer is observed across the country with to commemorate the historic nuclear test at Chaghi. It is a reminder of the struggle and great odds that Pakistan overcame to build a nuclear weapon, despite strong countervailing pressure from the elite nuclear states.
The writer is PhD scholar in English Language Education. He can be reached at [email protected], and on Twitter @yaserhturi