Pakistan: BB’s nuclear, missile programmes make country’s defence impregnable

From Associated Press of Pakistan: BB’s nuclear, missile programmes make country’s defence impregnable

By Muhammad Asghar
ISLAMABAD, Dec 26 (APP): In a bid to make country’s defence impregnable, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto took aggressive steps and decisions to modernize and expand the integrated nuclear weapons programme founded and started by her father in 1972. During her first time, Benazir Bhutto established the separate but integrated nuclear testing programme while in her second term, she continued to modernize the programme into new heights despite the embargo imposed by Western world particularly the United States.

It was during her regime that Pressler amendment came in effect in an attempt to freeze the programme but she refused to compromise on the nuclear weapons programme and continued it under her watch.

Under her regime, the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) had conducted series of improvised designs of nuclear weapons designed by Theoretical Physics Group (TPG) at PAEC.

Bhutto had appointed Munir Ahmad Khan as her Science Adviser who kept her informed about the development of the programme.

In all, the nuclear weapons and energy program remained Benazir Bhutto’s top priority as with the country’s economy.

During her first term, Benazir Bhutto had approved and launched the Shaheen programme as she had advocated for this programme strongly.

A vocal and avid supporter of the program, Benazir Bhutto also allotted funds for the programme, and strategic programs were launched under her premiership.
In January 1996, Bhutto publicly announced that if India conducts a nuclear test, Pakistan could be forced to “follow suit”.

Benazir Bhutto also continued her policy to modernize and expand the space programme and as part of this policy, she launched and supervised the clandestine project, Integrated Research Programme (IRP)- a missile programme which remained under her watch and successfully ended in 1996.

As part of her policy, Benazir Bhutto constituted the establishment of National Development Complex and the University Observatory in Karachi University and expanded the facilities for the space research.

Pakistan’s first military satellite, Badr-I was also launched under her government through China, while the second military satellite Badr-II was completed during her second democratic government term.

With launching of Badr-I, Pakistan under Benazir Bhutto leadership, became the first Muslim country to have launched and placed the satellite in Earth’s orbit, second only after India.

She declared the “1990”, an year of space in Pakistan and conferred national awards to scientists and engineers who took participation in the development of this satellite.

In 1988, Benazir Bhutto started aerospace projects such as Project Sabre II, Project PAC, Ghauri project under Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan in 1990 and the Shaheen programme in 1995 under Dr. Samar Mubarakmand.

During her second term, Benazir Bhutto declared “1996”, a year of “information technology”, and envisioned her policy of making Pakistan a “global player” in the information technology.

During her first and second term, Benazir Bhutto issued funding of many projects entirely devoted to country’s national defence and security.