Chowrangi

In 1974, India went ahead and exploded a nuclear device. It was a great shock. Although the media around the world expressed indignation, no major power condemned it. France sent its congratulations; USSR seemed to acquiesce, US was restrained in its reaction, and China kept silent. In response to Pakistan’s protests, it was told that what had been learned by India could not be unlearned. The US Secretary of State went to India in October 1974 and said that India and USA now shared another ‘tradition’.

These developments shocked Pakistan. With the forcible break up of the country in 1971, cut off of all military aid, and now facing a nuclearized neighbour, made Pakistan extremely insecure. Pakistan decided to fight this through political means and took the matter to the United Nations and formally presented a proposal for the establishment of a nuclear free zone in South Asia. Although this proposal was adopted by the majority of the members, the major nuclear weapons stages and industrialized countries abstained. The message that we received was that sooner or later India would be admitted to the Nuclear Club as a de facto if not de jure member. The political leadership at that time realized that Pakistan had to face a de facto nuclear India alone, and it had no choice but to acquire essential nuclear technology under safeguards, if possible, without it, if necessary, in order to neutralize India’s nuclear edge.

India’s nuclear explosion had a profound effect not only on Pakistan but also at the international level. If fuelled the fear of proliferation. The advanced countries led by the USA. Organized the London Suppliers Group (LSG) to restrict the flow of nuclear plants, materials and supplies to those countries which did not subscribe to the NPT or accept full-scope safeguards. Further it was felt that even through India and managed to escape, all doors should be shut on Pakistan. In other words, Pakistan had to pay the price of India’s explosion. Pakistan had been honouring all its safeguards and non-proliferation commitments, and had nothing to do with the non-compliance with any written or unwritten understandings that India had given to Canada, US, and the others not to use the supplied technology equipment and materials or military purposes, including conducting a nuclear explosion.

The result was that Pakistan, from May 1974 on, had to face the full force of increasing restrictions and embargoes placed by the western suppliers. One after the other, the supplier states started canceling cooperation agreements and supply contracts with Pakistan, even through all these were covered by international safeguards. Canada unilaterally cancelled all agreements with respect to KANNUP thereby endangering the continued operation and safety of this plant. France, under pressure from the US, also unilaterally abrogated the contract to supply a reprocessing plant, even though Pakistan had concluded a safeguards agreement covering this plant with the IAEA. Other countries followed suit. The result was that Pakistan’s difficulties multiplied. It had to resort to acquiring technology and services in the open market at a considerable cost, involving unforeseen difficulties and delays. In spit of all these heavy odds, Pakistan forged ahead with its programme, and continued to build various nuclear facilities including a nuclear fuel and enrichment plant.

US AID POLICY

In April 1979, the United States cut off all aid to Pakistan because of Pakistan’s alleged sensitive nuclear programme. In October, a Pakistan delegation went to Washington to discuss Pakistan’s economic and security needs, and invited Washington’s attention to the growing Soviet military threat in Afghanistan as well as a real nuclear and security threat from India. Pakistan asked for reconsideration of the US attitude and renewal of closer relations with Pakistan. But Pakistan’s plea was turned down. In December 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. This led to a dramatic change in the US perception of its strategic interests in the region. After negotiations with Islamabad, Washington decided to resume economic as well as military aid to Pakistan. But the US continued to monitor Pakistan’s nuclear programme and demanded assurances that Pakistan would not go nuclear. The Western countries placed strict embargoes on any nuclear cooperation with Pakistan and the indigenous nuclear activities of Pakistan were kept under strict watch.

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