Power Case Studies: Pakistan Nuclear Arms

Geography: Edexcel A Level, topic 9.2.9

Pakistan's Nuclear Weapons - Power Case Study

Pakistan's development of nuclear weapons is an example of political, military, and to a lesser extent, economic power.

In 1998, both India and Pakistan completed tests on nuclear weapons.
Pakistan's Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif said 'today, we have settled the score with India.'
India completed their first nuclear weapons tests in 1974. In response, Pakistan invested in developing nuclear weapons to enhance its position of power.

In 1971, India and Pakistan went to war, and this led Bangladesh (then called East Pakistan) to split from West Pakistan.
This threat to Pakistan led the country to accelerate its development of a nuclear weapons programme.

The historian Stephen Cohen says 'Like Israel, Pakistan was founded by a people who felt persecuted... both remain under threat from powerful enemies. Pakistan and Israel have also followed parallel strategic policies’.
Under threat after the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, Pakistan developed nuclear weapons to increase its military and political power.
On completing their 1998 nuclear tests, Nawaz Sharif commented 'today, we have settled the score with India'.
Developing nuclear weapons meant that nations would be scared to invade Pakistan, made them a more powerful partner, and secured their status as an independent nation.