U really want sanctions and to risk economy falling apart right now when Pak was having debt repayment crisis? Or would u take that risk when Pak has a thriving economy like South Korea? It's a no brainer...a diverse and powerful thriving economy can take more blows and prove resilient.
Let's put it this way, the more exports you have, the more weaker you are to sanctions. Just take a look at what is happening with China and tariffs placed on their exports. Their economy is collapsing. China is an export-based economy, the same model PTI is aiming to follow.
Economic growth comes and goes. Nuclear weapons do not, they are there to stay.
What? U want Pak to test actual nuclear weapons? Why? Did u not know that countries around the world(nuclear powers) have stopped exploding nukes on earth for testing purposes? Tests to improve things like yield and other such things are done theoretically by making models and simulating it in supercomputers.
I'm talking about testing in 1998, not now. Besides, supercomputer simulations are good at modeling yields for designs. But they will never be the real deal, you need hot tests to properly validate the yield. Also, please feel free to read up on the yields Pakistan's tests generated in 1998, they aren't something to be amazed at.
It's bcuz Pak was needed again for WoT(2001 and after)...there's literally nothing stopping the US/West to keep up sanctions against Pak.
Yup, US already has a noose around Pakistan, although it hasn't even tested an ICBM yet. Like I said, either way you are being constricted economically. Either way, economic growth will come sooner or later.
Shaheen III and Ababeel are India specific. They don't have the kind of range that other countries can feel threatened by...so it draws less attention of the world towards Pak. ICBMs are a whole new ball game...they can potentially put any spot on the globe within striking range.
You do realize that Pakistan is lying about the range of Shaheen III, right? Do you think Ababeel is much less in range? Shaheen III puts Israel at risk. As a matter of fact, it caught eyes in the media when it was tested, and generated concern. You know what happened next? NOTHING. The world forgot and moved on.