Pakistan

India concerned over Pakistan’s nuke safety

India's defence minister says safety of Pakistan's nuclear assets is a concern for all countries.

Reuters May 26, 2011

NEW DELHI:

India has voiced concern over the safety of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal following a militant siege at the country’s largest naval airbase PNS Mehran.

“Naturally it is a concern not only for us but for everybody,” Indian Defence Minister AK Antony was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India.

“Our services are taking all precautions ... but at the same time we don’t want to over react,” he said.

Sunday’s attack on the PNS Mehran base has raised fresh worry about the safety of Pakistan’s 70-100 nuclear weapons, and some analysts see it as a blueprint for a raid on a nuclear base.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 26^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (42)

Digvijay Singh | 13 years ago | Reply @ R S JOHAR, Arre yar.. I'm living in Pune, why you are labeling me as Pakistani? I didnt say anything against India, I just said RSS/VHP/ShivSena are more hatred towards Pakistan than any other group here. I'm proud to belongs to the country where diversified community exists.

R S JOHAR | 13 years ago | Reply @Santosh: Digvijay Singh is a Pakistani but posing as an Indian, so just ignore him. He is unaware that Bal Thakre is totally a spent force in India but Pakistanis still appear to be obsessed with him.

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

Muhammad Fiaz | 13 years ago | Reply USA, India & Israel should keep in mind that Pakistan is a nuclear state. Their safety is also conditioned with the existence of Pakistan & their notorious designs will never be realized. The people of Pakistan are well aware about the current situation and have complete faith on the Pakistan Army to defend bravely for the security of Pakistan. The whole nation is committed and is well trained to defend its territory. The time is not too far when the world will see the destruction of USA, India & Israel.

Digvijay Singh | 13 years ago | Reply @Santosh In many TV interview Bal Takare openly said his first priority would be to attack POK if he becomes prime minister (Of course, now he cannot become PM since later he got banned by SC for contesting election in India). Shiv Sana criticized BJP for not crossing the border in Kargil war. Even though shiv sena is ally of BJP their political ideology is different towards Pakistan. Thats the reason why Pakistan is worried for our hindu fundamental groups.

Thinking | 13 years ago | Reply @ parmeet - what's interesting is that most Sikhs, clearly not you, feel more comfortable with the BJP than with Congress. The BJP has never been anti-Sikh while Congress has never really come to terms with what happened in 1984. Jagdish Tytler is still a free man as are many other Congress leaders that led pogroms against Sikhs. That being said, I think the term "Hindu terrorism" applies to perhaps one or two people in all of India. It's a phrase that causes a lot of press but is a bit like a "man bites dog" headline.

Thinking | 13 years ago | Reply @ Bangash - Indian support in 1971 was because millions of innocent Bengalis (both Muslims and Hindus) were attacked by Pakistan's military and paramilitary groups. Pakistan has yet to come to terms with the horrors of what it did in Bangladesh. India has no role in TTP. Your own ISI created the monster. Stop kidding yourself.

Santosh | 13 years ago | Reply @Digvijay Singh: It is strange to say that. Especially given the fact that during the Kargil war BJP was in power. BJP which is a political ally of Shivsena, with Shiv sena ministers in the center. They did not cross the LOC and yet protected the border. Today you compare Shiv sena to the Pakistani home grown militants. Tomorrow you will compare the US republican Tea Party to it. They are both right wings, but there is nothing militant about them. Have you managed to catch a terrorist that caused trouble in Pakistan that was proven to be a Hindu, let alone linked to the Shiv Sena?

samia | 13 years ago | Reply while indias concerns are genuine they should be nothign more than generic. why are they hell bent on assuming theyr gonna go up in smokes first..if it comes to that that is ;)

vivek | 13 years ago | Reply i am so happy to see that most pakis are as intelligents as isi. when my enemy is not realizing his weakness than it's my strength. only allah may save u pakistan...

Digvijay Singh | 13 years ago | Reply @All Pakistan will be most worried if Indian nuclear arsenals got in the hands of RSS/VHP/ShivSena.. Its quite logical that India should be worries as the case now in Pakistan.

Haris S | 13 years ago | Reply yes..and we are concerned about their mental health!!

Bharath Vasi | 13 years ago | Reply @parmeet: Hi Parmeet, I understood your concern, but let me remind you about Sikh terrorism, Canadian plane bomb blast, and more. But can you tell me any huge bomb blasting ever planned by Hindu organization. Any how I don't criticize any Sikh, you are more patriotic than any other Indian, I admire to be a Sikh..I like and respect Sikh religion and Sikhs.. please don't indulge in baseless arguments.. Do you ever dare to say Islamic terrorism...why Hindu terrorism.. Hindus and Sikhs are the branches of one tree Bharathmata. are the brothers. Please don't ever indiscriminately give such statements.. Thanks

CP | 13 years ago | Reply @Parmeet:- Worry about the Khalistani terrorists who are sitting in the lap of the Pakistan first before ranting about the non-existent "Hindu" Terrorism. Remember who stood shoulder to shoulder with you throught out history before ranting from reading Khalistani manuals.

Waqas | 13 years ago | Reply Hahahahah what a joke Indians are so full of lies... They gave us a list of 50 wanted criminals hiding in Pakistan while all of them are in India... HAHAHAHAH what a joke... it tells me the competency of their agencies. Does RAW even know where their Indian nuclear sites are?? I hope they dont put the Pakistani or Chinese sites in the list and then retract it saying its a mistake. You think we believe in anything you say after this??? Mind your own business Indians; worry about your own country and stop poking your nose in our affairs. Worry about Kashmir, Khalistan, Naxalites and millions of hindu terrorists running around, not to mention hardliner Muslim extremists all over your country. Sort out your own mess!!

jagjit sidhoo | 13 years ago | Reply Relax folks if you had your way u would start another war. Our poor may not have enough to eat but we the educated lot can only think of conspiracy theories and war

NJ | 13 years ago | Reply @Maria: in your dreams!

Santosh | 13 years ago | Reply @Sana: "Indians always have ‘genuine’ feelings about Pakistanis, don’t they?? Everyone knows very well how much India is behind what’s happening now in Pakistan." I really think you are confusing between a few Pakistani right wing analysts and the millions who seem to follow them without independant thought, and the rest of the civilized world. Rational civilized people demand proof of what they see. India for example accuses Pakistan based on the Headley and Rana trials. Based on the testimony of Ajmal Kasab and others similarly caught. Even the Indian analysis that Kargil was a war started by Pakistan as opposed to involving the 'freedom fighters' as Pakistan claimed was reinforced by the prisoners of war and radio transmissions intercepted. Our claims was later proved true when Pakistan gave the Nishan e Haider to fighters in this battle and regularized the Northern Light Infantry. If Pakistan indeed has proof of India's actions, how come you have no footage, no documents, no prisoners, no evidence of any material value? I would challenge you to place it in public eye. Else accept that your accusations are baseless and only repetitions of the lies that the right wing establishment has spread in Pakistan. Also I wonder, has anyone in Pakistan ever asked Zaid Hamid to present any one of his so called sources? Or Hamid Gul? Perhaps you should do that and find out the truth for yourself. If the sources confirm your beliefs, please post them so that they clear our thoughts too.

Santosh | 13 years ago | Reply @SMR: "I doubt terrorists could pull off what they did in PNS Mehran at Marriot hotel in Karachi." Really? So a military installation with national assets is protected less than a civilian installation in your country? That is seriously reversed priorities. Never happens in the rest of the world. I mean, you could take this further and say that the terrorists would never be able to pull this off at a shop at a road corner as compared to an attack on a air base or a nuclear installation. Think, think.

Santosh | 13 years ago | Reply @SMR: Ok if you do believe that you are seriously unable to compare thing. A five star hotel is posh, but there is nothing secure about it. Any police station is more secure than that. Neither is the residence of the rich in Bombay a place of high security. New York, Chicago, Mumbai, London most civilized cities are where a civilian population lives. Where people dont attack each other with AK47s. Expecting that to happen on a day to day basis is crazy and so no security in any nation expects it. Also Mumbai terrorists did not attack a military installation that was supposed to have in advance around a 1000 soldiers. They caused their greatest casualities in a civilian railway station. Where middle class people were going home after a honest days work. The worst they could have feared was a pick pocket. Not an army attack. The naval station of a nation at war (Pakistan is in the war on terror, whether you like it or not) is obliged to be better prepared. Had the terrorists in Mumbai attacked a school and kept children hostage, the casualties would be even higher. The weaker the victims, the greater the casualties. So the fact that the Naval installation was breached at all, and that the terrorists were able to get to the planes is a far higher failure on the part of the Pakistani military, trained for war, than the Mumbai attacks, where civilians and civilian law enforcement were defending against militants.

sumeet | 13 years ago | Reply @sana,i can't tell you on the behalf of every indian,but yes i have genuine concern for your country.if pakistan cant prove to the world with evidence of indian involvement,it's better to keep your mouth shut.i am not a moron that i want more bombing in pakistanor india to please my inner soul or start any blame game. no one is telling you that you care for india.also if you think you can survive without india's concern,so why not india without you.we dont have to deal with pakistan.if you can assure us that no terrorist will be used against india as stratergic asset and you will not use your nuke against india and keep it out of reach of terror outfit,india dont have to even give a damn about pakistan.

no aman ki aasha nor war | 13 years ago | Reply its not Bharathi and its Bharath hope you guys can correct this too lolz

Vicram Singh | 13 years ago | Reply @SMR: " Pakistan is concerned for the safety of indian coastal cities like mumbai. " Yes, this Global warming thing is a real killer. " we handled ourselves much better than india did. " Did you really ? Terrorists targeting unarmed civilians in a hotel v.s terrorists infiltrating into a military compound and fighting with soldiers are two totally and largely incomparable situations. If your "doing better" is based on the length of time the situation lasted ( compared to Mumbai), yes, Pakistan did better. But based on the overall engagement from start to finish, the international community thinks that the Pakistani military is not at all a professional force, but is more interested in trade and commerce. Nevertheless, the world is beginning to see what India is all about - a country of immense strength, fortitude, honesty and maturity at the boundary of the Islamic world. And by strength, I do not imply military strength. Our desire is to become a cultural and educational super-power - as in our past. Our cultural foot-prints are all over South and South East Asia - and have withstood the ravages of time. Military power on the other hand comes and goes.

Arslan | 13 years ago | Reply And Pakistanis are concerned by Naxalites taking over non-protected Indian nuclear assets. /sarcasm

Bilal | 13 years ago | Reply Deal all, let me remind you one thing. Be it Taliban or Al-Qaeda, they are not after the Pakistani people. They are either after the corrupt leaders and/or against the CIA trained operatives working in Pakistan. These terrorists who are clearly the agents of RAW and/or CIA are time and again targetting Pakistans strategic assets. Either the Amry headquarters is attacked or the Pakistans Naval Base is attacked. What benefit will these terrorist have by attacking a Muslim countrys strategic assets. If you think there is a reason, then why arent they after the Saudi Arabia. This all began when Pakistan decided to join AMERICAS WAR AGAINST TERRORISM. Since then these blasts have started to take place. This is the only way America can push Pakistan to continue its role in the fight against terrorism. Americas secretary of states favorite 2 words,' DO MORE,' have actually lead Pakistan to 'LOSE MORE.' It is very much clear that these terrorists are brain washed and then trained for suicide and terrorist activities. And Sumeet please dont forget that the same agency have their agents in your country too. Had India been in place of Pakistan (geographically), it wouldve been in the- same situation.

SMR | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistan is concerned for the safety of indian coastal cities like mumbai. atleast in our case, it was an attack by terrorists with better weapons than ak-47s and hand grenades and high explosives and better armour than the clothes on their backs like the mumbai attackers. no matter what you say about the difference between PNS Mehran and a posh high-security zone like the Taj Mahal Hotel area or the preparedness of the base guards compared to the law enforcement and private security of mumbai's beverly hills, we handled ourselves much better than india did. I doubt terrorists could pull off what they did in PNS Mehran at Marriot hotel in Karachi.

Sana | 13 years ago | Reply @ sumeet thankyou very much for showing your concern.. Indians always have 'genuine' feelings about Pakistanis, don't they?? Everyone knows very well how much India is behind what's happening now in Pakistan.. India is least bothered about anything that does not cater its needs.. So what more do you want now? More bomb blasts, or some of them in your country and then blame-game? Well one thing should be understood by you people for sure, we donot need you.. We have survived despite every fiendish conspiracy against us, every incompetent government who ruled us.. Its just one thing that our nation knows for sure, WE DONOT NEED INDIA'S CONCERN..

SaudiRules | 13 years ago | Reply Heck, after the karachi PNS Mehran naval base attack, even we are worried about the same, i dont blame barathi to voice concern.

parmeet | 13 years ago | Reply arrray o sumeet! its conspire, not conspirate. need i remind you ABOUT wikileaks THAT TELL EVERYONE how radical hindu terrorism is swept under the rug in our swatantra bharat? we don't need wikileaks to remind us how cong's indira gandhi massacred sikhs in blue star. so we should be concerned about our own naxals, rather than act like the superpower that WE ARE NOT.

Haris | 13 years ago | Reply Dear India, I would like to thank you and your countrymen for your concern during this time, although I still haven't heard you condemn the terrorist attack or plan to bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice. Regards

NC | 13 years ago | Reply India's concern is genuine, If Taliban can get hold of some of the Nuke stuff through a raid or penetration what you think where they will love to go first?

Bashir Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply @aazem: Let us accept ur argument that this attack was staged by USA or whoever u may choose to blame- the usual suspects- CIA, RAW,RAMA, MOSSAD. The questions are" How did anyone make it happen?" Isn;t this supposed to be a guarded tri-services base entirely under the controll of Pakistanni armed forces? Why and how long should the rest of the world take a gamble and trust that Pakistan can handle itself and protect its weaponry?

Bangash | 13 years ago | Reply @sumeet We remember Indian support for Mukti Bahini in 1971. India is now supporting TTP against Pakistan.

Adnan | 13 years ago | Reply Haha if im not wrong there was a security breach at one of Indias nucleur sites when someone got inside the site without being stopped. Be concerned about your own nukes india, Pakistans nukes are safe enough!

Fahad Raza | 13 years ago | Reply Of Couuuuuuuurse India is having a field month with Pakistan. They over the Jupiter's moon on this one and I expect them to coz they benefited indirectly form this PNS incident. The two P3 orions which Indians claimed back 2 years being modified to attack as well were totalled.

sumeet | 13 years ago | Reply @maria,@bangash,come out of your delusion.the world is not so complexed and dont have to conspirate all time against your country as you think.india's concern is genuine.should i remind you wikileaks how radicalized pak army is?

Chilli | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistan should revisit their preparedness and immediately find and kick out all CIA operatives otherwise we will become another Iraq soon.

Bangash | 13 years ago | Reply Dirty Indians will try to take maximum mileage out of this event that was caused by their trained Taliban.

Abhishek | 13 years ago | Reply @aazem and all pakistani friends: Try to untie your minds from the thinking/ Conspiracy theories, which people like zaid hamid are filling in your brains. Try to be logical and then deal with the problem. What ISI and your policy makers sow, is being reaped by innocent Pakistani people. But still instead of realizing and focusing on real issue, the people of Pakistan are being fooled and cheated by her policy makers as always. How foolish is it to believe that whole world is conspiring against Pakistan and you are not able to get any damn proof in this regard. Try to use your logics and reasons instead of believing blindly. God bless you and Pakistan.

R S JOHAR | 13 years ago | Reply India's concern about the safety of Pak nuclear weapons is genuine because if terrorists can get even one the first place to use the same will be India.

Maria | 13 years ago | Reply What nonsense! The Indians are behind the terrorism along with their lackeys in Afghanistan who they send to kill innocents and they now feign "concern" about our nuclear weapons. Pakistan needs to expose Indian criminality more forcefully to the world instead of ignoring the issue.

Bacha Sacha | 13 years ago | Reply Dear Neighbours, No need to be concerned. T Regards ...

aazem | 13 years ago | Reply Well all this is done so that american soldiers can enter pakistan and destroy everything like afghanistan. And our leaders will still say all is wel.

Replying to X