Pakistan's Nuclear Arsenal

Pakistan began a programme to obtain nuclear weapons after its defeat by India in a 1971 war which led to the division of the country and the creation of Bangladesh, then East Pakistan.

The army sees its nuclear weapons as essential to offset the conventional superiority of its much bigger neighbor while India sees its own nuclear weapons as a deterrent against Pakistan and China, which defeated it in a border war in 1962.

Pakistan's nuclear installations are believed to be well enough guarded to prevent a successful attack by Islamist militants, though this remains a "low probability, high consequence" risk. Pakistan has tested nuclear weapons in May 1998, shortly after India announced it had done so. Both countries faced international sanctions as a result, although India has since won effective recognition as a nuclear power following an accord negotiated with the United States. Neither Pakistan nor India has signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Pakistan has 60-120 weapons nuclear weapons. These can be delivered by aircraft, or by missiles, which they have been developing and testing. Analysts believe the nuclear weapons have reduced the likelihood of a conventional war between India and Pakistan.

Pakistan has fought three full-scale wars with India, including two over the former kingdom of Jammu and Kashmir, is believed to have prepared its warheads for deployment twice.

The first time was in 1999 during the Kargil conflict, fought in the mountains on the Line of Control, the ceasefire line dividing Jammu and Kashmir.

The second was during a military standoff between India and Pakistan in 2001/2002 which followed an attack on the Indian parliament in December 2001, blamed on Pakistan-based militants. India has a policy of no first use of nuclear weapons but has made clear that if it were hit by a nuclear bomb from Pakistan it would strike back in force.

Pakistan has indicated it would use nuclear weapons if it believed their existences were threatened in a conventional war. Recent growth in its nuclear programme has been seen as an attempt to develop a second strike capability against India.


In recent years though, Pakistan's government is fiercely protective and proud of its nuclear weapons programme, seen as a much-needed deterrent and defence against its arch-foe India, which also has nuclear capabilities. However, soaring attacks by Taliban insurgents -- who struck at the heart of the military establishment in a raid and hostage drama at army headquarters in October 2009 have raised jitters over the weapons' safety.