Pakistan to emerge as World’s 5th largest nuclear weapons state: Report

Pakistan is said to be India’s biggest rival currently has at least 150 warheads and its stockpile is likely to increase to 220 – 250 by the year 2025 if the situation or trend continues. Pakistan is heading towards becoming the world’s largest nuclear weapon state.  According to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists authored, who track Islamabad’s nuclear weaponry said, “The current estimate of 140 to 150 nuclear weapons exceeds the projection made by the US Defence Intelligence Agency in 1999 that Pakistan would have 60 to 80 warheads by 2020.”

Hans M Kristensen, the lead author, is also the director of the Nuclear Information Project with the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) in Washington, DC. Over the decades, the US assessment of nuclear weapons security in Pakistan seemed to have changed notably from confidence to concern, especially as a result of the introduction of tactical nuclear weapons, the report said.

Pakistan is busy making the country independent to increase its nuclear power, buying more warheads and delivery system. Pakistan also has a stockpile which is expected to increase more over the next 10 year.

According to the report, “Analysis of a large number of commercial satellite images of Pakistani army garrisons and air force bases shows what appear to be mobile launchers and underground facilities that might be related to nuclear forces.”

“Speculation that Pakistan may become the world’s third-largest nuclear weapon state with a stockpile of some 350 warheads a decade from now is, we believe, exaggerated, not least because that would require a buildup two to three times faster than the growth rate over the past two decades,” the authors said.

According to the report, Pakistan is modifying its nuclear posture with new short-range nuclear-capable weapon systems to counter military threats below the strategic level. “The efforts seek to create a full-spectrum deterrent that is designed not only to respond to nuclear attacks but also to counter an Indian conventional incursion into Pakistani territory,” it said.

Also read: Terrorism: Pentagon cancels $300 million aid to Pakistan