Today 28 May 2008 marks the 10th anniversary of Pakistan becoming a declared Nuclear State after carrying out several test in the Chaghai Hills at Balochistan under keen watch of high level delegates from the govt as well as several ministers, the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif himself, the military leadership with Gen Jahangir Karamat and of course the cream of scientists involved in Pakistan’s nuclear program led by Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan.
Whether you’re a Pakistani or a non-Pakistani, from India or anywhere else in the world, what was your first reaction when you got the news that Pakistan had finally conducted successful nuclear tests and was declared a Nuclear Power?
Re: Pakistan Becomes Nuclear: What was your first reaction 10 years ago?
Myself I was excited at first, then when I heard elders discussing it in detail and the global pressures became evident to me I felt the proposed moral high ground route while Pakistan leadership knowing and satisfied that we did indeed have the capability would have been better, but then again I felt pride is important too and the masses don't think that far, it was an emotional time for the nation.
As far as anxiety about the nuclear weapons bing in responsible hands, I've never doubted the Pakistan govt of 1998 nor that of 1999 onwards neither the present one about this, and also have highest trust in Pakistan Army.
Re: Pakistan Becomes Nuclear: What was your first reaction 10 years ago?
Ok :D
So when you did learn later on what they were how did you feel finding out what big a deal being nuclear is and that Pakistan too is among the few nuclear states?
Re: Pakistan Becomes Nuclear: What was your first reaction 10 years ago?
We went out hired a "dholchi" to our hostel, with sound of drum everyone came out dancing, we went to Mall Road and did Bhangra for hours. We had a few foot long white bearded guys do bhangra with us too.
Re: Pakistan Becomes Nuclear: What was your first reaction 10 years ago?
It was a feeling of sheer joy and pride. And like Haris mentioned, there is no doubt of Nuclear Technology ending up in “wrong” hands. They’re as secure as any other nuclear nation’s arsenal. The idea of someone getting their hands on it is a phobia fueled by the current unrest facing the world. A genuine concern but lacks substance.
Pakistan just needs to become a stronger nation from within, where everyone works for the well-being of the nation. We need patriots who wouldn’t trade their loyalty for money/fame. We need more Jinnahs and Iqbals. A nation such as Pakistan that possesses a gem such as Nuclear Technology has to set a prime example for Muslim world to follow, it’s a shame it never materialized after the death of Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
Re: Pakistan Becomes Nuclear: What was your first reaction 10 years ago?
relief
even as someone who wasnt in the least interested in politics and from the other side of the world, i did manage to see the daily, highly threatening speeches by indian politicians leading upto the tests. so for me personally the emotion was relief
it was undoubtly the correct decision to conduct the tests
the world hasnt changed much since then, pakistan still faces the same threats as it did then. for the future its vital that the country watches collaboration of those same threat sources and continues to meet its minimum detterence objective
Myself I was excited at first, then when I heard elders discussing it in detail and the global pressures became evident to me I felt the proposed moral high ground route while Pakistan leadership knowing and satisfied that we did indeed have the capability would have been better, ....
Yes indeed there were few sane voices that wanted to take the moral high ground after Indian explosions.
The moral high ground was positively intertwined with the financial status of Pakistan. And financial realities demanded that we avoided international sanctions at every cost. We don't have oil or huge resources to live under sanctions.
Nawaz Sharif and many others made a grave miscalculation. And the result was terrible sanctions, and downwards spiral of Pakistani economy.
I can say this with certainty that two historical events utterly destroyed Pakistani economy. ZAB's socialist nationalization of 1970s and NS's nuclear explosions in the 1990s.
Both of these terrible actions had a mass appeal, and both the leaders succumbed to hysteria instead of taking rational decisions.
We'll not recover from the twin shocks for a long time perhaps decades if not centuries. Long time in the future, Pakistani historians will mourn the wasted opportunities by ZAB and NS.
p.s. I realize that many Pakistanis still love ZAB and NS. So this analysis is not a personal attack on the leaders. We are just analyzing their actions.
Re: Pakistan Becomes Nuclear: What was your first reaction 10 years ago?
I was in Lahore that time, being always on patriotic side and knowing that Pakistan did have nukes for some time but not declared ones. It was a 2nd great joy that went through whole nation after the winning the cricket world cup. I was in support of this decision then and i still believe it was very right decision for the nation. well done to teams involved in this effort from start.
yes there was worry about economic sanctions, on this front Pakistan leadership instead of planning well before about the aftermaths, what they actually did was prepare and secure personal assets instead of thinking nationally.
freezing foreign currency accounts was big mistake, sending all the personal liquid assets abroad was another in sincere and wrong example set by the leadership.
.....Pakistan leadership instead of planning well before about the aftermaths,...
You can only "plan well" for nuclear explosions by not conducting them at all.
Pakistanis are emotional bunch, and they forgot that nuclear explosions are always followed by international sanctions. And you can never "plan" for sanctions, rather you can just avoid them by not committing the "sanctionable" acts.
Blame the leaders for not guiding the nation out of nuclear hysteria. Pakistan needed a solid 20 years run after India's gravest mistake of exploding "da bomb". We had the Indian jagular caught in international chokehold. Instead of letting India suffer, we ended up joining India in receiving "chitrol" from the West. India being bigger and having pro-West NRI, was able to come out quicker. We are still suffering.
Oh Well, I should stop arguing. It is hard to debate against emotional decisions.
very cool!
seems must’ve gotten confused for some reason 
Pakistan just needs to become a stronger nation from within, where everyone works for the well-being of the nation. We need patriots who wouldn’t trade their loyalty for money/fame. We need more Jinnahs and Iqbals. A nation such as Pakistan that possesses a gem such as Nuclear Technology has to set a prime example for Muslim world to follow, it’s a shame it never materialized after the death of Mohammad Ali Jinnah.