Sachin Parashar | TNN
New Delhi: Pakistan is focusing on building low-yield, tactical nuclear weapons which it can use in case of skirmishes at the border with India. After disclosures that Pakistan is building its fourth reactor at the Khushab military facility, fresh estimates made by security and intelligence officials here suggest that Pakistan now has the capability to add 8-10 such weapons in its kitty every year.
The figure is likely to go up considerably once the new reactor becomes operational in less than two years. Latest satellite images revealed recently that Pakistan has expedited work on the fourth reactor, a plutonium producing facility.
The news is a surprise, if not shock, to the government here as its own information was that Pakistan was not likely to undertake this sort of expansion as it did not have enough uranium for that.
Pakistan is internationally acknowledged to have a nuclear arsenal of 100 weapons but the recent focus on low-yield, also known as tactical, weapons has become a constant source of worry for India.
Former chief of joint intelligence committee S D Pradhan, who has closely followed Pakistan’s nuclear-weapon programme, says: “They are following the Chinese model of having low-yield nuclear weapons. Pakistan believes these weapons will provide it a flexible response in case of an escalation with India and allow it to dominate.” Officials and experts believe Pakistan will use it only in the case of any incursion by Indian forces into its territory or what is known as India’s cold start doctrine.
In the event of another Mumbai-like terrorist attack, there is going to be real pressure on India to mount such an incursion and strike some of the terror camps.
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