Alternative view of Pakistan’s nuclear trajectory

A significant number of western think tanks predominantly housed in America and certain Pakistani origin protégées like Rizwan and Hussain based in the US, are observed showing relentless and unprecedented but overestimated rather biased concerns about Pakistan’s nuclear programme. US mass media, on the other hand have long acquired worldwide reach including ample space in Pakistani media, as well as desired maturity and credibility for them to serve the purpose of maligning Pakistan singularly. At various instances, US government policies have been supported by its media that is allowed to give space to such Pakistanis who either harbour prejudices for unfounded causes or obtain fringe benefits to prop up such ideas. The aggregate effect of such support is evinced by the barrage of insinuations against Pakistan in Western media and Think Tanks, portraying it as a fragile state; that sponsors terrorism which is in turn a harbinger for nuclear cataclysm. Apart from repeated strong political as well as diplomatic assurances together with concrete security measures, from successive Pakistani governments, either military or democratic in orientation, individuals, groups of Think Tanks and above all state institutions have considered it a matter of right to show skepticism and single out Pakistan’s nuclear programme as compared to similar programmes developed by India and Israel.
Some of the Pakistani origin American nationals, who deliberately illustrate nuclear and missile programme of Pakistan as villain are Hussain, Lalwani, Taqi, Arif, Aqil, Tariq, Dr Hashmi and lately Rizwan. Institute of Science and International Studies (ISIS), a Washington based Think Tank that had published a report on Pakistan’s Khushab Fourth Reactor” authored by David Albright and Serena Kelleher-Vergantini, is also an American Think Tank that has joined the group of other think tanks for advising Pakistan to either cap its nuclear programme or prepare to obtain pressure for signing FMCT and NPT. Previously institutions of standing that support Indian and Israeli nuclear ventures but demonise Pakistan, included Hudson Institute, Stimson Centre, RAND Corporation, Carnegie Endowment , International Relations and Security Network (ISN), Maryland (CIA supported). UK based think tanks Wilton Park and International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) forerunners of suspecting Pakistan’s nuclear weapons have been also joined by Centre for Security Studies (CSS), ETH, Zurich, Switzerland.
During Congressional testimony by George Perkovich Vice President for Nuclear Studies, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace to Sub-committee on Strategic Forces of the Senate Armed Services Committee on February 25, 2015, had revealed that he has worked on nuclear-weapons-related issues since 1982, first with a focus on the Soviet Union, then, after 1992, on India, Pakistan and Iran, while producing several written reports extensively on each of these countries’ nuclear programmes and policies. According to him over the past ten years he also has analyzed nuclear dynamics in Northeast Asia, particularly Chinese nuclear programme. He believes that some cutting-edge strategic challenges in Northeast Asia and South Asia that need to be more creatively addressed by the US and India together through unified policies in order to make Pakistan and China compatible to American satisfaction, which focuses on reducing nuclear weapons use against its strategic partner India. United States seeks ultimately to displace them.
Regrettably, among several castigations that are propagated by Western writers in sync with opinions of American and Indian think tanks, Rizwan, a Pakistani DNA has also taken front seat to advise that Pakistan should take immediate steps to eliminate tactical weapons, instead spend that money on uplifting economic conditions of its people rather than using these resources against India. Rizwan would surely get a doctorate degree from America on the recommendation of Hussain but his opinions about peaceful India would earn him a bad name in Pakistan. He has probably forgotten that the US-India nuclear deal could significantly boost India’s stockpile of fissile material that could be used to build up its nuclear forces against Pakistan and China.
For sure India and Pakistan will continue to augment their nuclear arsenals until Pakistani origin Americans like Rizwan keep on advocating Indian stance of violating basic human rights of innocent Kashmiris who are under constant occupation of nuclear India for the last several decades. The risks of escalation of tension to nuclear war will also remain strong until American opinion makers and Pakistani origin American protégées do not to accept and realise the real cause of such a possibility.
American idea of a next major terrorist attack in India, emanating from Pakistan, will turn into wish as Pakistan’s security forces have already trampled terrorists who were supported by India to trigger an Indian conventional military riposte that could in turn prompt Pakistan to use battlefield nuclear weapons to repel an Indian incursion. India, for its part, has declared that it would inflict massive retaliation in response to any nuclear use against its territory. India is believed to possess approximately 90-110 nuclear weapons. It plans to deliver them via aircraft and a growing fleet of ballistic and cruise missiles. But on the other hand Rizwan has nerves to ask Pakistan eliminate its deterrence capability.