Pakistan’s top nuclear scientist has disclosed that Pakistan averted three wars with India after carrying out nuclear tests in 1998.

Islamabad, May 28/Nationalturk -: Pakistan’s top nuclear scientist Dr Samar Mubarakmand has revealed that his country averted three wars with arch rival India after carrying out six nuclear tests in 1998.

“Three wars with India were averted after Pakistan conducted nuclear tests in 1998 only because New Delhi knew that Islamabad was in a position to come up with a matching response,” Samar was quoted as saying by Pakistan’s newspaper, The Nation.

He said after 1999 Kargil episode, there was a possibility of a war between the two nuclear armed arch rival neighbours. “However, India did not dare to go ahead because of Pakistan’s nuclear capability”.

Pakistan’s top scientist said in 2002 tension again gripped India-Pakistan relations after militants attacked Indian parliament in December 2001. “A tense situation came to be seen in 2002 when India deployed troops on its border with Pakistan. The standoff continued for several months, but the war was averted”.

He said again in 2008, the relations between the two countries got strained after 26/11 Mumbai attacks. “The situation did not lead to a war – again because of the nuclear capability of Pakistan”.

‘Green signal for conducting N-tests was given on May 20, 1998’

The nuclear physicist said Pakistan became a nuclear power because of the collective efforts of a large number of scientists and engineers.

“Pakistan had taken the decision to carry out nuclear tests at a meeting of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC), held two weeks before the devices were actually exploded in Chagai, Balochistan, on May 28, 1998. On May 14, 1998 all the relevant people were present in the DCC meeting and expressed their views whether Pakistan should respond to the five nuclear tests carried out by India three days ago,” he said.

Samar said the meeting was presided over by country’s then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. “I, another top scientist Dr AQ Khan, then foreign minister and services chiefs were also present in the meeting. Sharif patiently listened to the views of the participants, most of whom  opined that Pakistan should conduct nuclear tests without any delay. When the majority opinion came in support of the tests, the prime minister also added his voice to the same view”.

He said the green signal for conducting nuclear tests was given by country’s leadership on May 20, 1998. “After the go-ahead signal, teams of scientists and engineered took the process to its logical conclusion in nine days by carrying out tests”.

Five tests were carried out on May 28, as a result of which Pakistan came on a par with India. Another nuclear device was exploded on May 30.

Replying to a question what had actually happened on May 28, 1998, the nuclear scientist said, “It was a very important day of my life. When I asked the relevant engineer to press the computer button to carry out the explosion, everybody present on the site wanted to see something practically exploding. The time was 3.15 pm (PST) and when nothing happened for five seconds, everyone was worried. These five seconds were the longest period of my life.”

“However, when the explosion took place after five seconds, everybody was very happy and people present chanted pro-Islamic slogans,” added Samar.

Today is the 15th anniversary of 1998 nuclear tests conducted by Pakistan.

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Faiz Ahmad / NationalTurk Pakistan News

 

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