Pakistan's Nuclear Weapons

The spread of nuclear technology since the Cold War has been a cause of much worry. Although the current international security environment is fraught with several threats the emergence of nuclear armed states with questionable motives and undetermined rationality is perhaps the most pertinent. In this regard from an Indian point of view understanding Pakistan’s Nuclear Weapon capability is of immense importance.The issue of Pakistan’s Nuclear Weapons is closely linked to the story of Pakistan itself. It traces the nation’s aims ambitions priorities and history. Likewise any story of Pakistan will directly or indirectly be related to India. The case of its Nuclear Weapons is no different. This book highlights the rationale of Pakistan’s acquisitions of the Weapon and the different stages of its development. It also brings to light the various actors that aided Pakistan in its mission to build an ‘Islamic bomb’. It then attempts to explore Pakistan’s Nuclear Doctrine and Strategy. Although these have not been officially documented the book collates the understanding reached from the inferences that have been drawn from the statements of several key policy makers. The command and Control system of Pakistan’s Nuclear Weapons is consequently retraced as any Nuclear Weapon state will have to institutionalise its approach towards the employment deployment or security of its nuclear arsenal. Finally the book discusses the various security concerns that surround these weapons highlighting the possible threats to its safety. It also analyses the various security arrangements in place and attempts to evaluate their effectiveness. Today as Pakistan witnesses tumultuous times both within and outside its frontiers it becomes imperative to understand it’s most potent weapons better. Herein lies the significance of this book as it covers a broad spectrum of issues pertaining to its Nuclear Weapon capability with the aim of creating a comprehensive understanding of potentially one of the biggest security threats that face the world in general and India in particular.