"NUKES" for PAKISTAN? how did they get them? did one of our Presidents give them to Pakistan?

Question

Forgive my ignorance, but I'm just not overly familiar with Pakistan's history. It's a country's history for me overall, is just not that interesting.

And I wouldn't be asking any question about it, if it weren't for the fact that they are a nuclear power, and that it seems to be coming apart over Bhutto's assasination.

So, if anyone knows with certainly, how this came about - with specifics of how, who, when and why they became one - I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Alberich

Answer 1

The short answers: Who - many, mainly European, nations supplied bits and pieces and Pakistan's own scientists are of course heavily involved.

When - early 1970s, in the wake of the Bangladesh War.

Why - because India was developing nuclear weapons.

The longer answer: "Pakistan became the first Islamic nation to acquire nuclear weapons when it successfully detonated 5 nuclear devices under the Ras Koh mountains in 1998, one of which was claimed to be thermonuclear. The Pakistani nuclear weapons program began in 1972, shortly after the loss of East Pakistan to India in the 1971 war. The nuclear tests of 1998 came only two weeks after India conducted 5 nuclear tests of its own." From http://www.atomicforum.org/

The start of Pakistan's nuclear weapon programme "can be assigned a very definite date - 24 January 1972. On this date President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto committed Pakistan to acquiring nuclear weapons at a secret meeting held in Multan in the wake of the country's devastating defeat in the 1971 Bangladesh war." In 1965 Bhutto said, 'if India builds the bomb, we will eat grass or leaves, even go hungry, but we will get one of our own. We have no other choice.'

Many people were or are involved in the supply of the technology, materials and knowledge needed to build and maintain nuclear weapons, not least of which are Pakistan's own (often foreign-educated) scientists. During mid-1971 Bhutto approached North Korea in an effort to obtain critically needed weapons. An agreement was quickly reached and on 18 September 1971 the first arms shipment from the DPRK arrived in Karachi. Additionally, in 1971 the Canadian General Electric Co. completed a 137 MW (electrical) CANDU power reactor for the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP) which went critical in August 1971 and began commercial operation in October 1972. However, in 1976 Canada broke all ties with Pakistan's programme.

Many of the components for constructing the centrifuges themselves were purchased from suppliers in the Netherlands. Van Doorne Transmissie received an order for 6500 tubes of specially hardened steel, other Dutch manufacturers received orders for large numbers of high strength aluminum and extremely strong martensitic steel, the for the crucial centrifuge rotors. Critical support components and subsystems were purchased from Switzerland (high vacuum valves from Vakuum Apparat Technik of Haag, Switzerland; uranium hexafluoride gassification units from CORA Engineering), and Germany (vacuum pumps and gas purification equipment from Leybold Heraeus of Hanan, Germany; plus thousands of specially formed aluminum parts).

Attempts to purchase yellowcake, refined uranium ore, through Germany failed in 1976, but by this time Pakistan had discovered uranium deposits in western Punjab and had begun to exploit them.

The next year, in 1977, orders were placed in France for 10,000 metal bellows, whose only use was to stabilize the gas centrifuge rotor. France prohibited the sale, but the company shipped part of order through a subcontractor in Belgium, which did not interfere, along with the dies so that Pakistan could make the bellows themselves. Dozens of high frequency inverters were purchased from a British subsidiary of Emerson Electric, which had the same specifications as those used to control uranium enrichment centrifuges by the British Atomic Energy Authority. These were shipped to Pakistan in 1978.

For more of the nitty gritty details, read the source below (highly recommended).

Answer 2

Greetings! I'm kind of rusty on this bit of current events, but here's how I remember it (many others may have better takes than I do...I tip my hat before them in advance).

Before the turn of the twenty-first century, there was a little arms race between India and Pakistan. One, then the other test fired a nuke, then looked at each other. It scared the hell out of the Clinton Administration. It seems they were caught absolutely flat-footed on it - but so was the rest of the world, for that matter.

What really got dicey was that India and Pakistan are bitter rivals and could have launched World War III in a hurry. But cooler heads prevailed at the UN and both the government of India and Pakistan effectively nodded at each other and looked away.

That may be part of the reason W doesn't roll into Pakistan to get Bin Ladin...or that will be the excuse he uses.

That's the thumbnail scetch of it.

Hope that helps. Take care.

Answer 3

Alberich,
no American or American President specifically gave the Pakistani Government anything. Regardless of what some responders may tell you here. The person directly above me "Ceewill" is correct in summation of the events that unfolded in regard to Pakistan developing for themselves the Nuclear Weapons they now possess.

Additionally, follow this link (I think "Ceewill" above me already provided it) http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/pakistan/nuke/chron.htm.

The assassinated Bhutto's Father (Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto) was the person who first began to develop the Nuclear Program in Pakistan in 1965. Regardless of what people think of Musharraf the reality is that he IS the best person for the position in Pakistan and I for one believe this is more of the same tyranny that runs rampant from the likes of Al Qaeda and the Taliban than from any conspiracy inside the Pakistani Government.

(I probably have more insight on this and other matters than would most if not any other responder in Y!A - reasons why left unwritten).

Gerry

Answer 4

Actually I think it was us Canadian's fault. We sold India and Pakistan Candu reactors (a Canadian version of a nuclear reactor) back in the 70's (I'm not exactly sure of the date) to help them with energy shortages. Both nations in turn used the technology to develop nuclear weapons.

(N.B. - Even though we have the technology and the infrastructure, Canada has never built a nuclear weapon. I suppose that we were too trusting that India and Pakistan would likewise use the technology for peaceful uses. A tad naieve perhaps.)

http://www.ccnr.org/china_press.html#bomb

Answer 5

Pakistan is one of the eight countries that have developed the ability to build their own nuclear weapons. Their nuclear program was a direct response to India's program, because they feared that India would use it's nuclear weapons to attack Pakistan. Pakistan first successfully tested a nuclear weapon in 1998.

Answer 6

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
"NUKES" for PAKISTAN? how did they get them? did one of our Presidents give them to Pakistan?
Forgive my ignorance, but I'm just not overly familiar with Pakistan's history. It's a country's history for me overall, is just not that interesting.

And I wouldn't be asking any question about it, if it weren't for the fact that they are a nuclear power, and that...

Answer 7

Just like the Taliban and the Al Quada freedom fighters that where created by the Americans . The Americans gave the lying Pakastanis some Atomic weapons . If the Taliban get hold of them maybe the will use then on the canadian soldiers . Order more body bags .

Answer 8

One opinion can be found in this:

http://www.amazon.ca/Deception-Pakistan-United-Nuclear-Weapons/dp/0802715540/ref=sr_1_1/701-1002596-1255537?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195589189&sr=1-1