India is concerned about the safety of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal

[MilSpec]

(Reuters) - India is concerned about the safety of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal after a group of militants laid siege to a heavily guarded naval air base, the defence minister said on Wednesday.

"Naturally it is a concern not only for us but for everybody," A.K. Antony was quoted by Press Trust of India as saying when asked about concern for the safety of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal in light of the attack.

"Our services are taking all precautions and are ready round-the-clock. But at the same time we don't want to over-react," he said.

Sunday's attack by as few as six Taliban militants on the PNS Mehran base in Karachi has raised fresh worry about the safety of Pakistan's 70-100 nuclear weapons, and some analysts see it as a blueprint for a raid on a nuclear base.

Some security officials have said the attack may have been an inside job, spotlighting militant sympathisers within the ranks of Pakistan's military.

Tension between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan have mounted since the U.S. operation to find and kill Osama bin Laden. Islamabad and New Delhi have traded barbs about each country's readiness to take on an attack from a neighbour or launch one.

The neighbours have fought three wars since 1947.

(Writing by C.J. Kuncheria; Editing by Paul de Bendern and Robert Birsel)

 

[MilSpec]

Hersh on US team to secure Pakistan nuclear arms - 11 Nov 09

 

[MilSpec]

France unsure about Pakistan's nuclear deterrent: WikiLeaks

ISLAMABAD: France, not sure about the safety of Pakistan's nuclear weapons, has decided against supplying nuclear energy technology to it, according to a secret US diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks.

According to a cable dated September 3, 2009 disclosed by whistle-blower website and published in Dawn newspaper, French President Nicolas Sarkozy's diplomatic adviser Jean-David Levitte had told US diplomats that the French government was "not sure that the Pakistani nuclear deterrent is secure," especially "with the frequent movement of nuclear weapons by the Pakistani military."

Taliban has stepped-up a violent campaign in Pakistan to avenge Osama bin Laden's killing and has renewed fears that the country's nuclear warheads could be vulnerable.

French defence minister Gerard Longuet had on May 27, in New Delhi expressed his concerns regarding Pakistan, saying "this part of the world needs some clarification and stability as well. India is an old strategic partner... Regarding Pakistan we are waiting for clarifications,".

Longuet, however, had evaded a direct reply on whether France would stop sale of heavy weaponry to Pakistan in the wake of Osama bin Laden being found in Abbottabad.

 

[MilSpec]

JUST how secure are Pakistan’s nukes?

Many world leaders in the West, India and elsewhere are asking that question after a brazen Taliban attack easily infiltrated a supposedly high-security naval base in Karachi last week, underscoring Pakistan’s vulnerability to Islamist sympathizers within its own military and intelligence forces.

The night-time assault on the Mehran naval station was clearly carried out with knowledge of the base’s layout and weaknesses. Perhaps a dozen militants with night goggles and assorted weaponry blew up two sophisticated surveillance aircraft and killed at least 10 Pakistani military personnel.

Adding to the military’s embarrassment was the fact it took more than 100 commandos close to 18 hours to regain control of the facility, and at least some militants were able to escape.

Security experts are warning that although Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal — believed to be currently between 75 and 100 warheads — is thought considerably more secure, that nation’s military has just been surprised, yet again, by how vulnerable even its most highly valued assets seem to be to Taliban attack.

Heightening the global sense of unease is Pakistan’s aggressive expansion of its nuclear stockpile by perhaps a dozen warheads a year. With several new military-controlled reactors all reportedly coming online in coming years, that output will climb further, observers say.

If Taliban or al-Qaida militants could get their hands on even some of the components for those nuclear weapons, the ingredients for a dirty bomb could be in terrorist hands.

Needless to say, despite assurances the nukes remain well protected by an independent force of 10,000, separate from other military units with reportedly tough vetting procedures, there are legitimate fears some parts of the nuclear supply chain may not be as secure.

Pakistan must get serious about purging the Islamist elements within its security forces. With the Pakistani Taliban openly at war with the country’s military, the most grievous blows are being struck with the clear assistance of the military’s internal enemies.

With NATO set to begin its security handover in Afghanistan to Afghan forces this July, how events unfold in neighbouring Pakistan will be critical to eventual peace in the region.

 

[Safriz]

are you tawkin to urself? 4 comments by thread starter. lol no not just lol . . .rofl.

 

[Hammy007]

dont worry, we have made nukes to nuke india, safe or unsafe, doesnt make a difference

 

[Emmie]

Please read this before you comment anything...

India arrests for 'uranium theft'
BBC NEWS | South Asia | India arrests for 'uranium theft'

 

[HAIDER]

Its less news more Indian national paranoia of Muslim rule of centuries. Somewhere in every Indian mind, these muslim might come back again on this land again to rule.

 

[MilSpec]

Its less news more Indian national paranoia of Muslim rule of centuries. Somewhere in every Indian mind, these muslim might come back again on this land again to rule.

US can take issue of Pakistan’s nukes to UNSC

ISLAMABAD: US can try to create a political and security environment whereby it can take the issue of Pakistan’s nukes to the UNSC.

This was said by CEO of Strategic Technology Resources (STR) Shireen Mazari during a briefing on “The discriminatory approach towards nuclear proliferation: Suppliers Cartels and Fallout for Pakistan” held here on Friday in a local hotel.

She said that the US is now seeking to shift technical nuclear issues from the IAEA – which by and large adopts a technical and less political approach to sensitive technological issues – to the UNSC where the US feels it can now hold sway.

“One has to wonder why the US and its allies in the developed world would deliberately take such actions which inherently contribute to strategic instability in South Asia. Of course, Pakistan is not the only country to be victimized by this new discriminatory approach which undermines the NPT regime while bolstering the principle of discrimination. Iran is also being targeted despite the fact that it is a member of the NPT and has shown no intent of leaving this Treaty,” Mazari added.

She said that US not only violated rules of IAEA and Nuclear Supplier Group but also amended its internal laws. The “India exemption” permits suppliers to conduct civil nuclear trade with India without any check or restriction, she said.

She said, “The NSG exemption failed to commit India to a responsible nonproliferation policy. Moreover, the U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Trade Agreement frees India to develop further its nuclear weapons program, grants India a generic consent to reprocess transferred nuclear material, and guarantees India fuel supply assurances that have never been offered to the NNWS, all of which agreed to disavow nuclear weapons programs in order to access civil nuclear technologies.”

Now the US seeks to get India full membership of the NSG itself at the next NSG plenary meeting in June (next month) 2011, she informed.

The fallout of all these developments for Pakistan is grave on all these counts but especially in terms of the NSG – the NSG has given India access to state of the art nuclear and dual use technologies which will bolster its nuclear weapons development while Pakistan will continue to be denied this access and be penalized if caught seeking to acquire it.

But membership of the NSG will allow India to be part of a supplier cartel that works on the unanimity principle so India can bulldoze impediments even if other NSG members wanted waivers for Pakistan as well, the CEO said. She said that Pakistan should be crying hoarse about a criteria-based approach rather than a country-specific approach.

“While we did make some noises earlier, we have been in a state of silence since 2008. Equally noticeable has been the silence of the international community towards Pakistan’s efforts in place now in terms of strategic export controls,” she said.

“We now know that SPD issued immediate export guidelines to its scientific commissions in 2000, while the FO was working on legal document. Eventually, an Export Control Act was promulgated as an act of parliament in September 2004, as qa result of which there is strict vigilance and control on all nuclear and biological weapons related items and also the delivery systems,” she said.

Pakistan is sensitive to the issue as besides several legislations, it also a National Control List has been notified that includes listed items from NSG, MTCR and the bio aspects of the Australia Group.

“There is also a Strategic Export Control Division at FO and also an Oversight Board for this Division’s functioning. Yet the international community forgets all this in their passion for Pakistan nuclear bashing,” she concluded.

 

[MilSpec]

dont worry, we have made nukes to nuke india, safe or unsafe, doesnt make a difference

thats funny...Ghar mein phatt gaya to lene ke dene pad jayenge

 

[RPK]

Please read this before you comment anything...

India arrests for 'uranium theft'
BBC NEWS | South Asia | India arrests for 'uranium theft'

Uranium is the basic fuel for nuclear weapons, but it has to go through complex processes before it it is sufficiently enriched for use.

 

[farhan_9909]

As if we care about your concerns

this is your daily drama

 

[WAQAS119]

Uranium is the basic fuel for nuclear weapons, but it has to go through complex processes before it it is sufficiently enriched for use.

Ever heard of dirty bombs?

 

[laiqs@mi]

kabhi logic say bhi bat kar lia karo Troll master indians.
koi thread aisa nahi jis main one-liner indians apni naak na ghusain...
and nukes ke bat hai to sirf waqat hi bata sakta hai k kia hoga to apna dimagh kharab kanrey say behtar hai k thora say wait kar lain kun

 

[laiqs@mi]

american theory hai k
itna jhoot bolo k sab sach samjhein
indian theory hai k dosrey ka jhoot itna phelao k khud bhe sach samajhney lago