During his recent visit to Washington Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif did not cut any nuclear deal with the host government, but the issue did come under discussion in his meeting with President Barack Obama. They "discussed the continuing threat of nuclear terrorism", and agreed to "work together to make the nuclear Security Summit hosted by President Obama next year a success," said a joint statement issued after their meeting at the White House. There was no mention whatsoever of the speculated "deal" under which Pakistan was expected to accept "brackets" on the size and potency of its nuclear capability and reach of its missiles. Nor was there any indication of the host government willing to treat Pakistan at par with India and give the civil nuclear technology also or help Pakistan become member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. But one would be profoundly naïve to think that pressure on Pakistan to accept "brackets" on its nuclear programme has been effectively neutralised; it is very much on -made public in so many words by none else but Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry. "Rather than making unrealistic demands on Pakistan to compromise on its core security interests, major powers must consider implications of their actions and policies," he told a seminar in Islamabad on Thursday. Pakistan, he said, is confronted with a credible threat from India in the shape of "dangerous provocations and irresponsible doctrines like Cold Start doctrine and Proactive Strategy and whose conventional military built-up is Pakistan specific". That being the backdrop he expects from the international community to appreciate Pakistan's "legitimate and serious security concerns and adopt a comprehensive non-discriminatory and fair approach towards the region". In other words, he told the world that Pakistan will not accept constraints of any kind on its nuclear capability. Defanging Iran doesn't mean Pakistan can be defanged of its nuclear teeth too. While Iran never said it was developing nuclear weapons, Pakistan is a recognised nuclear weapon state and its nuclear capability is minimum credible deterrence against India whose anti-Pakistan intentions are no secret.
And who knows better than Pakistan that nuclear is not a weapon of war; it is weapon of peace as it effectively acts as deterrence against war. But for its nuclear weapon capability Pakistan would have been a victim of Indian aggression by now. If the world is honest about peace in South Asia it should help resolve the outstanding issues between the two rival nuclear powers. And in the meanwhile it should help the two of them agree to a comprehensive nuclear restraint regime. That any of the nuclear weapon states would give up its nuclear capability on its own or under pressure is something that is not going to happen in the foreseeable future - much less in case of Pakistan given widening conventional asymmetry. The Indian establishment is never short on its bellicose posturing: but for its threats of 'Cold Start', 'Limited War' and now 'Proactive Strategy' Pakistan would not have gone for tactical N-arms. And whatever "nuclear terrorism" means and constitutes Washington must gives a plausible explanation. It is safe and secure; it is accident free; and it is not packaged in suitcases easy to be taken sway. It is a weapon of peace and deterrence exclusively geared to respond aggression from across the country's eastern border. No one should expect Pakistan to barter away this weapon of choice under threat of economic sanctions or anyone's political pressure. Pakistan would welcome moves to 'mainstream' its nuclear option, but not at the cost of its operational efficiency and resultant effectiveness.
Last but not least, one must not lose sight of the fact that country's nuclear father, Dr AQ Khan, has responded to the situation in a meaningful manner. Talking to Business Recorder, he has said that Pakistan is being subjected to pressure tactics for the reasons that "we're the only Muslim country of the world with this [nuclear] power...this is their only concern".
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