Pakistan now outstrip Indias nuclear and ballistic weapons
genlodi
Pakistan on Tuesday successfully test fired a short range Surface to Surface Ballistic Missile Hataf-2 Abdali.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the missile is capable of hitting surface-to-surface targets.
The missile test had cheered almost every Pakistani at every time they listened the news of missile test; the reason is that India is considered as rival enemy of Pakistan and almost three wars had been fought so far between both countries.
Pakistan's nuclear energy programme was started in 1956, following the establishment of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC). Thanks to China who had been alleged to play a major role in the establishment of Pakistan's nuclear weapons development infrastructure, especially, when increasingly stringent export controls in the western countries made it difficult for Pakistan to acquire nuclear materials and technology from elsewhere.
Pakistans missile build-up all along has been India-centric. Unlike India, which has to take the China threat into consideration, Pakistan has the luxury to focus its entire missile build-up on Indian developments.
Strategically, Pakistan has today not only offset Indias overwhelming conventional military superiority by its nuclear weaponisation but also acquired a missile force which in terms of speed of acquisition outstrips Indias pace of development of missiles. China prominently and DPRK by proxy have significantly contributed to Pakistans missile build-up. China has even provided a complete plant in 1995 to produce M-11 nuclear capable M-11 missiles and their variants in Pakistan.
The series of Missiles Pakistan have are as
HATF Series - HATF series formed the initial component of the Pakistani missile arsenal. Besides the nuclear capability of HATF II and III, in the conventional mode it was designed as an offensive weapon to knock off Indian armour concentrations. In the defensive mode, it would be used in dual roles to destroy Indian bridgeheads in Pakistani territory. Its chief use could be said to be along Pakistani borders with India, both inside and outside.
GHAURI series - With its extended range, the GHAURI series could effectively reach virtually the whole of India but it seems that the strategic targeting of this missile would be more towards Mumbai and Peninsular India in which lie Indias most sensitive installations. GHAURI is a mobile system and could be used for counter-value-strikes. Pakistan claims that GHAURI can carry nuclear, chemical and anti-tank warheads.
SHAHEEN series - SHAHEEN II unveiled on Pakistan Day Parade this year (March 23,2000) is Pakistans answer to Indias Agni II. It has as all India coverage, but can be said to have Mumbai and Peninsular India as the main target. With its ground mobility and solid-state propellant systems it should logically form the backbone of Pakistani nuclear deterrent. With mobility comes survivability and therefore the SHAHEEN II could impart to Pakistan a second strike capability in the future.
In terms of future perspectives, the following can be said about Pakistans missile build-up:
Pakistans missile force would form the main delivery system for its nuclear weapons. Pakistans emphasis on a "credible minimum deterrent" would call for matching responses to Indias missile developments in terms of ranges and payloads. This would imply that the GHAURI and SHAHEEN series would receive priorities in terms of range and payload modifications. In terms of ICBM capability, Pakistan would definitely aspire for it, but a host of factors are stacked against her. Even China, Pakistans nuclear weapons and missiles benefactor would hesitate to impart ICBM capability to Pakistan, for strategic reasons.
Indian media and Indian analysts are looking extra concern over the news of Pakistans missile panel that it is now exceeding them. Number of articles and media shows has been created that the complete constituency of India can be under Pakistans attack if there would be any thing wrong. Because the Ghouri series missiles has range across the Indian border towards Bangladesh.