Atomic Explosions
(Yaum-e-Takbir)
By : Atiqa Mahmood (3rd Year)
There are two major powers in the South Asian Subcontinent-Pakistan ands India. From the day these countries emerged on the map of the world, they have had a grudge and nasty taste of the events of independence and migration. So, they have been in a state of cold war ever since. The larva of the cold war even erupted to the surface in the form of brutal wars of 1947, 1965, 1971 and 1998. Pakistan has always defended it self with dignity.
Pakistan has made great advancements in the field of defense and technology. Scientist of Kahota Research Lab and Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission have been working on a peaceful atomic program since 1974 under the pioneer patron Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. India had begun its nuclear program long before this and tried to test its technology on 1974 but was compelled not to by foreign powers.
Every thing was peaceful until Pakistan enhanced its defense power by successfully launching a state of the art ballistic missile ‘Ghouri’ in the first week of April. After this, India took the Ghouri missile launching as an incentive and conducted two atomic explosions on 11th of May and one explosion followed on the13th of May, 1998. This was a major upset in the power balance of subcontinent. India left behind its unspoken feeling of hatred and openly started threatening Pakistan. Pakistan tried to tactfully handle the situation but India showed height of unreasonableness.
Pakistan never compromised on its integrity and it didn’t compromised then. Pakistan had only one thing in mind that is to save its dignity that was at stake. So, exactly after fifteen days of Indian blasts, Pakistan conducted three successful nuclear explosions on 28th of May. These experiments were performed at the Chichi Hills of Baluchistan. Yes, this was history- the world’s first ever Muslim country had developed its own nuclear program. Pakistan on the whole did five explosions; the remaining two blasts were done on the following day. The respect of the whole country was in the hands of sons of the nation- the nuclear scientists. It is these experts who brought the nation out of the whirl of difficulties to a very glorious reality of being a nuclear power. If Pakistan had not balanced the power imbalance then its existence would have been in danger.
The courageous decision of conducting these explosions was taken by the prime minister of the time Mian Nawaz Sharif. He was subjected upon immense foreign pressure but he stood by his decision and saved the integrity and respect of whole nation. Among the big scientist is name of Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan who proved himself as the true son of the nation and worked tirelessly for the nuclear program. May 28th has become a historic day for Pakistan and is called Yaum-e-Takbir. It is on this day that the nation remembers its great achievement.
