ABSTRACT
Pakistani leaders have repeatedly denied that their nation is developing nuclear arms. Nevertheless, the available evidence leaves no doubt that Pakistan is indeed pursuing such a course, a conclusion shared by the United States, the Soviet Union, India, and other nations. Driven by fears of Indian domination and a desire for prominence in the Islamic world, Pakistan launched a program to acquire nuclear arms in 1972. The effectiveness of the campaign was severely undercut, however, by the July 1985 report, noted earlier, that Pakistan had tested the non-nuclear triggering package for a nuclear device. With Indian hawks calling for a war that would eliminate Pakistan as a national entity, however, nuclear advocates in Islamabad may be little concerned about the risks from the quarter. In August 1977, however, France reversed its stance and suspended deliveries for the plant after US nuclear aides showed their French counterparts intelligence data revealing Pakistan’s intentions.
