Pakistan and the bomb
Pakistan is thought to be the next candidate for the nuclear club. A civilian program inevitably greatly reduces the incremental time and cost for further steps that might be taken toward military uses. Pakistani leaders realized that a civilian nuclear program could bring their country close to a nuclear weapons capability, and that emphasis on the non-military importance and economic necessity of certain civilian technologies can provide a cover for essentially military programs. In 1975, Pakistan announced its energetic nuclear plan for the remainder of this century, in which it called for the installation of a 600-MW reactor in 1980 and 10 more reactors in the decade following. In 1976, Pakistan signed an agreement with France for the purchase of a nuclear reprocessing facility. With reprocessing and testing and construction of the non-nuclear parts of nuclear devices a nonweapon state can come anywhere from a few hours to a few days within putting a nuclear device together, depending on the technical capabilities of the countries concerned. But, Pakistan's interest in reprocessing has been taken as a serious indicator of a desire to be able to produce nuclear weapons. The effects and the impact of 1974 Indian explosion on Pakistan are examined. If India's 1974 explosion results in the production of nuclear weapons, Pakistan will probably follow suit. Pakistan has refused to become a party to the Partial Test Ban and the Non-Proliferation Treatly. 28 references. (MCW)
- Research Organization:
- Columbia Univ., NY
- OSTI ID:
- 5485576
- Journal Information:
- Bull. At. Sci.; (United States), Journal Name: Bull. At. Sci.; (United States) Vol. 36:1; ISSN BASIA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
India, Pakistan's nuclear weapons: All the pieces in place
Cooperative Monitoring Center Occasional Paper/6: Pakistani Perceptions and Prospects of Reducing the Nuclear Danger in South Asia
Related Subjects
290600 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Nuclear Energy
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450202* -- Explosions & Explosives-- Nuclear-- Weaponry-- (-1989)
ASIA
COMPETITION
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
EVALUATION
NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
PAKISTAN
PRODUCTION
TECHNOLOGY UTILIZATION
TREATIES
WEAPONS