Pakistan Nuclear Chronology 2011-2001 | 2000-1995 | 1994 | 1993 | 1992 | 1991 | 1990 | 1989 | 1988 | 1987 | 1986 | 1985 1984 | 1983 | 1982 | 1981 | 1980 | 1979-1978 | 1977-1975 | 1974-1970 | 1969-1953 Last update: June 2011 This annotated chronology is based on the data sources that follow each entry. Public sources often provide conflicting information on classified military programs. In some cases we are unable to resolve these discrepancies, in others we have deliberately refrained from doing so to highlight the potential influence of false or misleading information as it appeared over time. In many cases, we are unable to independently verify claims. Hence in reviewing this chronology, readers should take into account the credibility of the sources employed here. Inclusion in this chronology does not necessarily indicate that a particular development is of direct or indirect proliferation significance. Some entries provide international or domestic context for technological development and national policymaking. Moreover, some entries may refer to developments with positive consequences for nonproliferation. 2011-2001 27 May 2011 The Defence Committee of the Pakistan National Assembly has asked for additional measures to strengthen the security of Pakistan's nuclear weapons program. —"NA Defence Committee demands extra safeguards for nuclear assets," Dawn, 27 May, 2011, www.dawn.com. 25 May 2011 Indian Defense Minister A.K. Antony expresses concern over the security of Pakistan's nuclear weapons in the wake of the terrorist attack on the Pakistan naval aviation base Mehran, near Karachi. Antony says, "Naturally it is a concern not only for us but for everybody. Our services are taking all precautions and are ready round-the-clock. But at the same time we don't want to over-react." —"India concerned for safety of Pakistan nuclear weapons," The Express Tribune, 25 May 2011, http://tribune.com.pk. 25 May 2011 United States diplomatic cables released by Wikileaks dating to the period 2005 to 2009 show that Washington has tried to persuade various countries, including Turkey, France, and China, to prevent industrial firms based in those countries from exporting equipment and machinery to Pakistani entities that could assist Islamabad's nuclear and missile programs. —"U.S. Scrutinizes Pakistani Nuke, Missile Tech Purchases: Cables," Global Security Newswire, 25 May, 2011, http://gsn.nti.org. Related content is available on the website for the Nuclear Threat Initiative, www.nti.org. This material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, or agents. Copyright © 2011 by MIIS. 25 May 2011 Pakistani Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan says that the Taliban has no intention of attacking Pakistan's nuclear weapons arsenal, adding that "Pakistan is the only Muslim nuclear-power state," and that the Taliban does not want to change this status. Regarding Pakistan's military partnership with the United States, he asks, "isn't it a shame for us to have the Islamic bomb, and even then we are bowing down to the pressures of America?" —Matthew Rosenberg and Owais Tohid, "Taliban Say They Won't Target Pakistan's Nuclear Arsenal," The Wall Street Journal, 25 May 2011, www.wsj.com. 25 May 2011 A United States diplomatic cable released by Wikileaks and dated 18 April 2008, quotes the then Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Co-Chair Asif Ali Zardari as saying that in his opinion, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) should get direct access to Pakistani nuclear scientist A.Q. Khan. Zardari became president of Pakistan later that year. In addition, the director general of the Strategic Plans Division (SPD), Lt. Gen. Khalid Kidwai said in a meeting with U.S. Ambassador Anne Patterson that Khan was a national hero and that there was support for him from domestic political parties. —Nirupama Subramanian, "I would give IAEA access to Khan: Zardari," The Hindu, 25 May 2011, www.hinduonnet.com. 21 May 2011 A United States diplomatic cable dated 2 December 2009 and released by Wikileaks to an Indian newspaper, The Hindu, states that Washington "has no intention to seize Pakistani nuclear weapons or material and has confidence in the ability of the Pakistani government to protect its nuclear assets." —B. Muralidhar Reddy, "U.S. confident of safety of nuclear weapons, despite al-Qaeda presence," The Hindu, 21 May 2011, www.hinduonnet.com. 17 May 2011 In an article for Newsweek magazine, disgraced Pakistani nuclear scientist Dr. A.Q. Khan writes that Islamabad's motivation for nuclear weapons arose from a need to prevent "nuclear blackmail" by India. He also writes that in his opinion, Pakistan's current nuclear efforts "have been to perfect the design, reduce the size of the weapons to fit on the warheads of our missile systems, and ensure a fail-safe system for their storage." —A.Q. Khan, "'I saved my country from nuclear blackmail'," Newsweek, 16 May 2011, www.newsweek.com. 15 May 2011 Commercial satellite imagery analyzed by Newsweek magazine shows that Pakistan is speeding up construction of its fourth plutonium production reactor at the Khushab nuclear complex. The facility could be operational by 2013. —Andrew Bast, "Pakistan's Nuclear Surge," The Daily Beast, 15 May 2011, www.thedailybeast.com. 13 May 2011 Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani inaugurates the country's third nuclear power plant, located in Chashma, Punjab province. The facility, the second unit of the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant (CHASNUPP-2), has been built with Related content is available on the website for the Nuclear Threat Initiative, www.nti.org. This material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, or agents. Copyright © 2011 by MIIS. Chinese assistance. —Anita Joshua, "Gilani inaugurates second nuclear plant," The Hindu, 13 May 2011, www.hinduonnet.com. 6 May 2011 A United States diplomatic cable dating to early 2009 and released by Wikileaks to an Indian newspaper, The Hindu, states that Pakistan army chief, Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani does not support President Asif Ali Zardari's statement from late 2008 to the Indian media in which he favored Islamabad adopting a no-first use posture. —"Kayani doesn't back Zardari's 'no-first-use' nuclear-policy: Wikileaks," The Times of India, 6 May 2011, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 6 April 2011 Pakistani Ambassador to the United Nations Abdullah Hussain Haroon criticizes the nonproliferation and disarmament policies followed by major powers. In a speech at the United Nations Disarmament Commission, he strongly opposes the "blatant violations of national and international non-proliferation obligations by major states as manifested by their support for NSG waiver to one non-NPT state," and the "selectivity, exceptionalism, discrimination and double standards by major powers in the area of nonproliferation, for commercial and strategic considerations." —"Pakistan lambasts world powers' nuclear duplicity," The Daily Times, 6 April 2011, www.dailytimes.com.pk. 6 April 2011 In light of the crisis at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in Japan, the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) orders the inspection of nuclear facilities in Karachi and Chashma. The PNRA notes that the facilities are "on par with international requirements." —"Pakistan to review N-plant Safety," The Hindu, 6 April 2011, www.hinduonnet.com. 17 March 2011 General David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, reports to members of Congress that extremists in Pakistan could be interested in acquiring nuclear weapons. He notes that the Pakistani Taliban "value access to nuclear weapons or other weapons that could cause enormous loss of life." However, he adds that "there is quite considerable security for the Pakistani nuclear weapons." —"Terrorists Want Pakistani Nukes, Petraeus Says," Global Security Newswire, 17 March 2011, http://gsn.nti.org. 11 March 2011 Nadeem Akhtar, a Pakistani national in Maryland, is indicted for exporting prohibited items from the United States to nuclear entities in Pakistan that are under U.S. Commerce Department sanctions. The items include nuclear- grade resins, calibration machinery, and radiation sensors. —"Man Indicted Over Nuclear-Related Exports to Pakistan," Global Security Newswire, 11 March 2011, http://gsn.nti.org. 9 March 2011 The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) approves a plan to monitor two nuclear power reactors China plans to build in Pakistan. The two 340-megawatt light-water reactors are to be built at the Chashma Nuclear Power Related content is available on the website for the Nuclear Threat Initiative, www.nti.org. This material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, or agents. Copyright © 2011 by MIIS. Plant in Punjab province. China had built one reactor at Chashma prior to 2004 and states that the two reactors to be built pre-date Chinese membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). A U.S. State Department official voices concerns that the new reactors at Chashma "appear to extend beyond cooperation that was 'grandfathered' when China was granted NSG membership." However, India gives its assent to the deal, noting there is nothing within the statute that would prohibit the transfer of nuclear reactors to Pakistan. —"IAEA Board Sets Plan for Monitoring New Pakistani Nuclear Reactors," Global Security Newswire, 9 March 2011; "IAEA Approves Safeguards for New Pakistani Reactors," The Hindu, 9 March 2011, www.hinduonnet.com. 2 March 2011 The head of U.S.