In the mid-1970s Pakistan embarked on the uranium enrichment path to acquire nuclear weapons
capabilities Pakistan conducted nuclear tests in May of 1998
And this was shortly after India's nuclear test the country of Pakistan
Currently has a growing arsenal of nuclear weapons and it remains outside both a treaty on the non-proliferation
Of nuclear weapons as well as the comprehensive nuclear-test-ban
Treaty, so with that said, let's learn more about Pakistan's nuclear. Testing. Welcome back to another episode of FTD facts
My name is Leroy, Kenton
And this is a channel where we share facts and information about the different countries cultures and people from all around the world
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So first thing I want to look at is why Pakistan built these nuclear weapons in the first place
Well Pakistan's need to test nuclear weapons was really fueled by their relationship with India
You know
It's been a back-and-forth tug of war because these two countries have engaged in several
Conflicts over the years Pakistan began working on a nuclear
Program in the late 1950s and the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission. The PAEC was established in
1956 the president za Bhutto advocated the nuclear option and in 1996 said this if
India builds the bomb we will eat grass or leaves even go hungry
But we will get one of our own those are some strong words now after the end of the December 1971
conflict with India president Muto issued a directive
instructing the country's nuclear
Establishment to actually build a nuclear device
Within just three years
although the PAEC already created a unit to work specifically on the nuclear weapons that was done in March of
1974 India's however
first tested their bomb in May of
1974 which played a huge role in motivating Pakistan to build its own nuclear weapon check i1 is a codename of the five
back-to-back underground nuclear tests that Pakistan conducted on May 28th 1998 the tests were performed at
roscoe hills in the chaga district of the largest and province chaga one was
Pakistan's first public test of the nuclear weapons its timing was of course in direct response to India's
second nuclear test which were conducted on May 11th and 13th of
1998 so if safety and security of course was a big issue and this was a huge requirement
So that's why they chosen isolated on
Populated mountainous area to do these tests scientists wanted dry weather and very little when to spread any sort of radioactive fallout
So that's why this location for the test was chosen
So these tests conducted by Pakistan and also by India resulted in the United Nations Security Council?
resolution one one seventy two and
economic sanctions on both states by a number of major
Powers around the world mainly the United States as well as Japan and by virtue of just testing nuclear devices
Pakistan became the seventh nation to publicly test nuclear weapons
Pakistan second nuclear test each a guide to followed on may 30th
1998 shortly after the tests the former chairman and the technical director Lanier Ahmed Khan
Piatt said this these boosted devices are like a halfway stage towards a thermonuclear bomb they use
Elements of thermonuclear process and are effectively stronger atom bombs. Pakistan has had nuclear
Capabilities since 1984 and all the Pakistani devices were made with enriched uranium
Now it may not come as a surprise
But you know the check I want tests were really condemned by a European Union the United States as I mentioned
Japan Iraq and by many not Organization of Islamic Cooperation
The OIC nations just to give you a little bit more details on the limitations imposed on Pakistan. See the United States, Japan, Australia
Sweden Canada and the International Monetary Fund the IMF imposed economic sanctions on
Pakistan but on the other hand nations like Saudi Arabia Turkey and Iran actually
Congratulated Pakistan and had some major
celebrations all the new US economic assistance to Pakistan was suspended in May of 1998 though a
Humanitarian aid did continue in the long term these sanctions were eventually
permanently lifted by the US after Pakistan really became a frontline ally in the war against terror in the year of
2001 so there was a little bit of backfire for Pakistan, but they managed to navigate their way through it and just you know
Let me know your thoughts about this about Pakistan having nuclear
Capabilities. Do you think that Pakistan having nuclear capabilities is more of a threat to the planet than countries like say the United
States having nuclear capabilities sound off in the comments section down below your voice and your opinion really matters
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It's been great learning with you here on FTD facts. My name is Leroy Kenton, and I'll see you next time in another episode
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