Pakistan plans to add at least two dozen nuclear-capable, short-range missiles to its swelling arsenal this year, sources said in a revelation that indicates a growing ‘urge’ in the powerful security establishment to seek ‘strategic parity in the region’.
If the government successfully achieves its target, this would be the highest number of missiles Pakistan had ever produced in a year.
These air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles would be able to hit a target at a distance between 700 to 1,000 kilometres, which would put nearly all major Indian cities within their range.
Sources said the plan was in line with Pakistan’s official policy of having what is rhetorically called ‘maintaining a minimum deterrence’ especially against India.
They added that the Strategic Plans Division (SPD) — a high powered body that oversees Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal — was also supervising the production of new missiles.
The SPD works under the National Commands Authority (NCA) that is headed by the prime minister and has all services chiefs as its members.
Sources said it was in one of the recent NCA meetings that SPD briefed the authority about the plan that envisaged the production of highest number of missiles ever in a year.
The disclosure comes on the heels of reports earlier in the year that Pakistan was rapidly adding to its nuclear arsenal and the number of its warheads might have surpassed France.
Officials in Islamabad have denied those reports but insiders said Pakistan has been ‘watching closely with concern’ India’s increasing nuclear cooperation with the United States and France.
“That is the benchmark… if we see something happening in India on this front, naturally we react and we have to,” said one official.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 25th, 2011.
COMMENTS (18)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Great going Pakistan. Well done!
India has no first strike policy ... while the second sentence to it ...is MASSIVE RESPONSE if struck by the enemy ... ssooooo ... i just wonder ... what will u do with those 39 odd remaining missiles ... ..as the first one fired will be a game changer ofcourse ... for India thou ...
Nice priorities. But, all the missiles in the world aren't going to detour a country tired of getting blown up by Pakistan's strategic assets. That's because the amount really doesn't matter as long as you launch them at the right targets.
More weapons would not stop the US from attacking our strategic targets and we don't use much force against the terrorists. These extra weapons would alleviate poverty, hunger, diseases, and other social evils. They would be essential in our education, power production and civilian needs. We need more weapons in Pakistan, it is too peraceful there.
Same reaction was given by North Korea. See what has happend to it.
You can't provide sufficient electricity, clean drinking water, properly dispose of sewage, prepare for floods, provide quality education etc --- but you do have enough money to spend on weapon systems that will never be utilized. Pakistan needs to re-prioritize - somehow you haven't figured out that your current supply of nukes hasn't made you safe so why in the world would more nukes make you safer?
@Zayed: My dear friend there is nothing wrong with the editor but may be u hava to read more about the nuclear attacks."Smart boy" named bomb which is hit by america to japan was blast on approximately 20 to 50 feet in the air.so it is not a RPG which have to hit the hard groung or any thing,its' a nuclear missile my dear friend.So surface to air missile is very useful in these circumstances .
No compromise on defence long live pakistan.
I must add well done boys - keep it up. The little countries such as the Zionist-dominated America and the lackeys have so many and are blackmailing the world and it was time we Pakistanis stood up to Zionists - in America or its proxy - Israel.
The author does not know what he is talking about. There is no air-to-air, or surface-to-air missile with these kind of ranges anywhere in the world. Besides, air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles are anti-aircraft missiles which are not nuclear, thus there is no reason for SPD or NCA to be involved in their production.
Given these inaccuracies, the whole report is doubtful and a poor reflection on the Express Tribune as a worthwhile newspaper.
yeah yeah yeah.... more more more missiles.give us more\m/
"These air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles would be able to hit a target at a distance between 700 to 1,000 kilometres, which would put nearly all major Indian cities within their range."
Dear Tribune Editor who wrote this,
Do you realize that Indian cities are not built in air? Do you even read yourself what your write? Are you an intern or a full time employee?
Dear boss of the editor who wrote this, you are the most incompetent boss ever probably :P
well done boys :) keep it up....
surface-to-air missiles would be able to hit a target at a distance between 700 to 1,000 kilometres, which would put nearly all major Indian cities within their range.
Wow! Sometimes I think that who is Tribune's source for these mind boggling reports :D
Is this the same country where 80 percent population lives under 2 dollars a day
Solidify the defence at the expense of Pakistanis. 'Defence' must be impregnable even if there may be nothing to defend.