Daily Times

With the continued blessings of Almighty Allah, the living nation is celebrating another Youm-e-Takbir on May 28, 2022, in a befitting manner signifying Pakistan’s becoming a nuclear power and thus attaining a strong defence deterrent. It was on May 28, 1998, that Pakistan had become the first nuclear power in the Islamic world and 7th in the world on the whole after the US, Russian Federation (formerly the Soviet Union), Britain, France, China and India.

This is indeed another anniversary of great historic development and every Pakistan is quite obviously genuinely proud irrespective of his/her political affiliations, regional and other petty and vested interests and considerations.

Both India and Pakistan despite being neighbouring nuclear powers are somehow not enjoying good cordial relations mainly because of the long unresolved Kashmir issue which India is flagrantly for decades together denying to implement the UN Security Council Resolutions and letting the Kashmiris exercise their right of self-determination.

Despite Pakistan also being a nuclear power, it is showing utmost restraint in the continued prevailing tense circumstances, safeguarding and ensuring national security and fence. All these years, Pakistan has been telling the world at large that its nuclear assets are for minimum defence deterrent and peaceful purposes and to ensure a balance of power in the region as well as in safe hands as an effective control and command system is in place.

The atomic programme of the country was started by one democratically elected prime minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and thus carried forward by another elected prime minister, Nawaz Sharif.

A strong defence system coupled with its being a nuclear power is helping the government in defeating hostile elements and continuing its onward journey on the path of progress, development and prosperity in a determined and committed manner.

It is pertinent to mention here briefly who had made Pakistan an atomic power in response to India becoming a nuclear power and continuing aggressive and threatening postures.

India had become the sixth nuclear power in the world by detonating an atomic bomb on May 18, 1974, in Pokharan and noticeably, there was no reaction or condemnation of any kind from the world at large.

In all fairness, the atomic programme of Pakistan was initiated by Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1974 with the help of nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan.

Cutting long story short, India had carried out atomic bomb detonation for the second time again on May 11 and 13, 1998. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was at the helm of national affairs for the second stint, gave a positive and deterrent response to India in this regard. He took the all-important though quite a difficult decision in consultation with all concerned. Pakistan had carried out the atom bomb, for which all preparations were already complete for many years, test-firing five times on May 28, 1998, in Ras Ko Hills of district Chagai in Balochistan. Test firing for the sixth time was carried out on May 30, 1998.

The atomic programme of the country, which was started by one democratically elected prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was thus carried forward by another elected prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Nature had so destined to say the least.

As stated above, Pakistan being a responsible atomic power and every succeeding civilian government ensuring foolproof security and safety of the country’s nuclear assets through an effective control and command system, the enemies inimical to the existence of Pakistan are quite effectively being kept at bay from indulging in any mischievous plans and aggressive postures against Pakistan.

Needless to mention here that a country makes steady progress and development only in a secure and safe atmosphere due to its strong defence system that is helping the government in continuing focus on all spheres economically as well as socially. It is also generally said and believed that the defence of any country and economic development are interrelated with each other. And, this is quite true in the case of our beloved motherland Pakistan.

Pakistan, being a sovereign independent country and an atomic power, with the capability of striking back against any foreign aggression, has surely and certainly contributed a great deal towards the maintenance of the balance of power and ensuring peace in the region in the face of India’s persistent heinous policies and forcible illegal occupation of internationally recognized disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is in London from where he has directed the party leadership and workers to celebrate Youm-e-Takbir as usually quite enthusiastically on May 28, 2022. Accordingly, PML(N) led coalition government, headed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, is celebrating the great national event of Pakistan becoming a nuclear power in a befitting and colourful manner.

The Pakistani nation will continue celebrating Youm-e-Takbir enthusiastically every year on May 28 as long as Pakistan exists on the world map for centuries together, Inshallah. Youm-e-Takbir Zindabad.Long Live Pakistan.

The writer is a Lahore-based freelance journalist, columnist and retired Deputy Controller (News), Radio Pakistan, Islamabad can be reached at zahidriffat@gmail.com