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Thursday, May 29, 2008
ISLAMABAD: The Yaum-e-Takbeer, the celebration of Pakistan's nuclear explosions in 1998, was observed across the country with national zeal and fervour.
Pakistan, on May 28, 1998, joined the prestigious club of seven nuclear powers, by conducting nuclear tests to give a befitting response to India's initiative of testing nukes on May 11 and 13, the same year.
Politicians, lawyers and civil society activists enthusiastically took part in rallies across the country. The jubilant participants vowed to support the future advancement in the field of defence and technology by the new government.
Rich tributes were paid to Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, the architect of Pakistan's nuclear bomb, who raised Pakistan's strategic status in the comity of nations and emphasised the principle of self-reliance.
The legal fraternity across the country called for immediate release of Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan. They said lifting of some restrictions on him was far less than what he had done for the strength and stability of the nation.
Mariana Baabar adds: Pakistan, while observing the 10th anniversary of its nuclear tests, said that it had taken its responsibilities as a nuclear weapon state seriously.
"It was a historic day in the nation's quest for security. We have not relented in our pursuit for creating a peaceful global and regional environment," the spokesman of the Foreign Office said.
Normally, there had been no official statement from the Foreign Office on May 28 in the past. However, on its 10th anniversary, the coalition partners are the PML-N, under whose government Pakistan went nuclear, and not far behind is the PPP, whose founder Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto earned the credit for laying the foundation for making Pakistan a nuclear state.
The spokesman said that at all levels bilaterally and multilaterally, Pakistan had endeavoured to promote the cause of peace, disarmament and non-proliferation. "We have urged restraint and responsibility at the regional plane. Pakistan has initiated additional proposals for mutual confidence building as well as promoted regional stability," added the spokesman.
For the last one year, the West has been unrelenting in its criticism of the safety concerns that it has about Pakistan's nuclear assets.
However, as the spokesman explained, "Pakistan has instituted an elaborate Nuclear Command and Control mechanism in February 2000. The National Command Authority (NCA) oversees custodial controls of all strategic assets. Pakistan has also instituted strong export control mechanisms, which are at par with international standards."
The government also stresses that it is against a nuclear arms race in South Asia. "This is significant that in the joint statement issued after the first round of nuclear CBMs held between Pakistan and India in June 2004, both the sides recognised that "nuclear capabilities of each other, which are based on their national security imperatives, constitute a factor for stability," said the Foreign Office spokesman.
The FO spokesman said while continuing to act with responsibility and avoiding an arms race, Pakistan will neither be oblivious to its security requirements nor to the needs of its economic development.
Our Lahore correspondent adds: Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Rana Mashood Ahmed Khan on Wednesday attended a ceremony arranged by the PML-N Lawyers' Forum to observe the Yaum-e-Takbeer.
The ceremony, attended by a large number of lawyers, was held at the Karachi Shuhada Hall of the Lahore High Court Bar Association. Rana Mashood and MNA Nasir Ahmed Bhutta were the chief guests on the occasion.
Khwaja Mehmud Ahmed, the president of the PML-N Lawyers Forum, Punjab President Nasir Ahmed Bhutta, Secretary Waseem Ahmed Butt, Ghulam Haider, Kanwar Riaz and Sardar Muhammad Ayub Khan Lodhi were also present on the occasion.
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