The USA on Monday said it was confident Pakistan could control its nuclear assets after US President Joe Biden’s recent statement describing Pakistan as “one of the most dangerous nations in the world” and questioning the safety protocols of its nuclear weapons stirred a diplomatic row between the two countries on Saturday, leading Islamabad to summon the US ambassador.
The recent hype and, at times, irresponsible, writing by US media with serious credentials has created a sense of cynicism among Pakistanis, reinforcing belief that the recent statement is a prelude to aggressive counter-proliferation measures by the USA
“The United States is confident of Pakistan’s commitment and its ability to secure its nuclear assets. The US has always viewed a secure and prosperous Pakistan as critical to US interests and, more broadly, the US values our long-standing cooperation with Pakistan,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters. In a speech on October 13, Biden said Pakistan is “maybe one of the most dangerous nations in the world” as it has “nuclear weapons without any cohesion”. A transcript of Biden’s speech was published by the White House on its website.
Pakistan’s foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said during a news conference that he was “surprised” by Biden’s statement. “I believe this is exactly the sort of misunderstanding that is created when there is a lack of engagement,” he added. “Pakistan has long been at the forefront in the fight against regional and global terrorism,” said FO spokesperson Mohammad Faisal at a regular press briefing. “It is because of Pakistan’s cooperation with the international community, acknowledged and appreciated by the US leadership, that the al-Qaeda core was decimated from the region.”
Pakistan’s efforts to fight many militant groups on its soil at the behest of the USA never satisfied Washington. Thousands have been killed in Pakistan due to terror attacks since the beginning of the War on Terror. Pakistan’s role in the War on Terror was initiated by the 11 September 2001 attacks in the USA. They were a new manifestation of terrorism, which altogether changed the world’s political psyche. The problem of terrorism, which had been confined to small groups and few states, became a global menace. After 9/11, Pakistan becomes a frontline state; immediately after it, the USA government approached Pakistan and after that a war against terrorism started in Pakistan.
In reaction Pakistan had to face uncountable problems with chaos and threats to its stability. Thousands of people and security forces died due to this. Despite a clear appreciation, the USA emphasized doing more and declared Pakistan a nursery of terrorism and the most dangerous country in the world . It was accused of being either complicit with the terrorists or incompetent to tackle them.
Pakistan is surrounded by giant nuclear-armed neighbours, Russia, China, and India. Pakistan lives in a security-intensive environment, with internal and external threats. Whenever the Indian threat grows, more or new nuclear capabilities are needed. Nuclear weapons form an essential ingredient of its national security, and nuclear energy requirements are based on long-term national development planning. Pakistan’s strategic planners are competent enough to balance external threats, internal volatility, technical requirements, resource availability, and the secrecy requirements of every sensitive site. Therefore, generalized statements about nuclear assets falling into the hands of the Taliban are false on the ground.
After a discussion with my husband, who, being an Aarmy officer, had spent more than a decade in missile sites, I perceive that Pakistan made its nuclear and missile programme fully safe and secure by fulfilling all the safety requirements of the IAEA and meeting international standards. To achieve cohesion, all the nuclear and missile-related outfits were placed under the SPD for better coordination and performance. The missile force was placed under Strategic Force Command. One of the important aspects of Pakistan’s credentials is its safe operational experience of handling peaceful nuclear technology for over 40 years.
Nuclear security culture evolved in Pakistan after 9/11. Pakistan improved its supervisory procedure for military and scientific manpower. The security division of the SPD established a reporting system for monitoring the movements of all officials. Next, a system of sensitive material control and accounting was introduced. The system was derived from modern training, possibly modelled on U.S. national laboratory procedures. The inception of the Nuclear Security Action Plan (NSAP), organized by the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA), was a very important development in Pakistan’s nuclear security management. The PNRA is an independent body responsible for civilian programmes, but it coordinates closely with the SPD. Moreover, Pakistan’s security officers know how to use detection equipment and security barriers, as well as set up checkpoints and customs posts.
India laid the foundations of the nuclearization of South Asia in August 1974 by conducting a weaponized nuclear explosion. This breakthrough in nuclear technology was achieved with the assistance of the former USSR, Canada and the USA. India expanded and modernized its armed forces with the help of the former USSR, which became India’s biggest arms supplier. On the other hand, Pakistan defeated the USSR, sacrificed 80000 lives and well over $200 billion, and destroyed its industrial infrastructures for the sake of the USA. Now, , as the most experienced nuclear power, the USA can share its nuclear security practices, performances of the system, and the likelihood of mishaps.
The USA has produced sensitive sensors and software that can detect radiation at an extremely low level. Pakistan is unlikely to accept foreign-made sensors in any of its sensitive sites, but it can use these devices at major geographical chokepoints. The USA can help Pakistan modernize its NSAP by installing modern sensors and radiation monitors for portal monitoring at locations acceptable to Pakistan. This would help prevent terrorist transport of conventional explosives as well as illicit radiological material
Pakistan is very careful in seeking assistance on nuclear technology from the USA, especially if the assistance is perceived to be of an intrusive nature. Like other nuclear-capable states, Pakistan also knows how to guard its locations and nuclear best practices from any outside influence or knowledge.
Dalton, an expert on nonproliferation and nuclear energy who addresses regional security challenges and the evolution of the global nuclear order writes very well, “Pakistan is not given sufficient credit for the nuclear security practices it has put in place. The prominence given to nuclear weapons in Pakistan’s national security strategy means that the government has a very strong interest to protect them. To date, there is no public information that indicates any close calls of material going missing, and no hint of further technology leakage after the A Q Khan Proliferation network was dismantled.”
U.S.-India relations have blossomed while US-Pakistan relations have become more troubled. In the past, Pakistan sought to catalyze US intervention as a way to internationalize the dispute over Kashmir, while India actively opposed any US policy interest in a resolution to the Kashmir issue. India has not been overly welcoming of US intervention unless it came with promises to coerce Pakistan to crack down on groups that attack India. Meanwhile, most Pakistanis probably do not trust the USA to be an honest broker in regional disputes. Thus, in the abstract, it is difficult to frame the role the USA might play in addressing likely sources of conflict.
The recent hype and, at times, irresponsible, writing by US media with serious credentials has created a sense of cynicism among Pakistanis, reinforcing belief that the recent statement is a prelude to aggressive counter-proliferation measures by the USA.
