Shamsa Ashfaq
For quiet some time, misplaced and unfounded concerns are frequently being expressed by anti-Pakistan elements over the possibility of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons falling into the hands of jihadists. Pakistan in comparison to India has always unjustifiably been treated as an irresponsible and unstable nuclear State. Pakistan, however, has always rejected such fears over its nuclear weapons as “misplaced and unfounded” apprehensions. Besides, Pakistan is having a very robust, multilayered Command and Control system.
The security measures in Pakistan are being followed since 1950s. In 1964, Pakistan Nuclear Safety Committee (PNS) was constituted, in 1970 a Nuclear Safety and Licensing Division was formed. In 2001, Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) was established to ensure safeguards and regularizations of nuclear facilities. In Pakistan, so far thirteen regulations in connection to nuclear programme were developed, which are at par with international standards guided by the IAEA safety protocols. For over 30 years, Pakistan has displayed an excellent operational and safety record of its two nuclear power plants, KANUPP and CHASNUPP, both operates under IAEA safeguards.
Since 2000, the nation’s key nuclear institutions have been under the unified control of the National Command Authority (NCA). Its Chairman is Prime Minister of Pakistan. The SPD acts as National Command Authority’s secretariat, is in in-charge of developing and managing nuclear capability and exercises day-to-day control. The weapons are under strict control of the SPD and the nuclear installations are well guarded.
Pakistan’s control systems are said to be so dynamic that orders to abort a mission involving a nuclear weapon could be given at the last second. Additional steps have also been taken by Pakistan to augment the safety and security of nuclear installations and to prevent proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). So by all means, Pakistan nuclear facilities and weapons are safe of any possible tsunami.
Pakistan gives highest level of importance to the safety and security of its nuclear installations. It has successfully established a strong safety culture in its nuclear activities and diligently adhering to the principles of the Nuclear Safety Convention, which Pakistan signed at the time of its inception. The safeguard and security that the country ensured for its nuclear programme are significant. Pakistan is confident of it but will remain persistent and never complacent about its nuclear safety, therefore, is always continuing to review its security measures in this connection. Pakistan’s nuclear assets are vital for its strategic deterrence posture so there is no question of their falling into the wrong hands.
Nuclear weapons do pose threat to humanity but Pakistan’s motivation to acquire nuclear weapons is its need to survive in the most hostile environment. It is the country’s nuclear weapons programme that saved Pakistan from a Libya or Iraq-style invasion by western forces after 9/11. It is the nuclear weapons that have successfully stopped subcontinent from becoming the ‘most dangerous place in the world’. Every nation weak or powerful has the right of its defence in today’s nuclearised environment. Pakistan went nuclear to ensure its survival against eminent threats emerging from nuclear India and the catastrophic failure of US foreign policy in south Asia.
Pakistan is a proud nuclear State but understands its responsibility as a nuclear State. It sees its nuclear weapons as a means of insulating the country against the dangers of hostile intentions from across the border, sea and air. Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal is secure, primarily because Pakistan Army recognizes the hazards of those weapons falling into the wrong hands. Nicholas Platt, a former US Ambassador to Pakistan, substantiating the Pakistani stance over safety of its nukes said, “The specter of radical Islamists taking over and brandishing the Islamic bomb is rather far-fetched”.
International media’s efforts to propagate baseless information about Pakistan’s nuclear weapon theft are merely pressure tactics to pursue their own interest in the region. More and more countries are seeking this technology so cases of theft and information leakage are on the rise even in advanced nuclear weapons states. Now the time has come, when international community should think to increase cooperation among nuclear states to make the world more secure and safer place to live.
