Nuclear neighbour

As the relationship between Pakistan and India goes from bad to worse, the threat of nuclear war is on the horizon. Both countries have been engaged in an arms race since their inception and the acquisition of nuclear weapons was seen as something of a success by both sides. However since then, every skirmish and harsh exchange raises the possibility of one side initiating an attack which would prove devastating for the entire south Asian region and have untold repercussions for the rest of the world. War between Pakistan and India is something to be avoided at all costs and this realisation hits home with every cross border firing incident or alleged involvement by any party in cross border terrorism. In view of all this, Pakistan has on October 28^th, expressed its concerns about India’s growing nuclear arsenal. In a report titled “India’s Unsafeguarded Nuclear Programme”, a detailed assessment reveals that India has the capability to make between 356 and 492 nuclear bombs.



This increase in capability is attributed to the waiver granted by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to India in 2008, without the requirement of having to make any significant non-proliferation commitment. In the report, the NSG has been urged to reconsider the policy of granting country specific exemptions in view of the need to maintain stability in the already conflict-ridden parts of the world. Throughout this latest worsening in the Pak-India relationship which came about as a result of India’s atrocities against the Kashmiri people, Pakistan has been attempting to de-escalate the situation by urging talks. However, the Indian establishment has whipped up war hysteria amongst the public and continued its oppressive policies in Kashmir. Meanwhile, the blame has been placed squarely on Pakistan even though not much in the way of proof has surfaced despite repeated claims. India’s attempts to blackball Pakistan in the international community and continuous talk about war is particularly dangerous considering the vast amounts of nuclear arsenal it is capable of deploying. It is hoped that the international community will take notice and the Indian government too will tone down its war rhetoric.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 29^th, 2016.

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