wmdisinfo
FULL MEMBER
- Joined
- May 15, 2011
- Messages
- 633
- Reaction score
- 0
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was the founder of Pakistan's nuclear weapons research programme, and due to his administrative and aggressive leadership to lead this nuclear deterrence programme, Bhutto is often known as Father of Nuclear deterrence programme.[5][26] In October 1965, as Foreign Minister, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto visited Vienna when Munir Ahmad Khan informed him of the status of Indian nuclear programme and the options Pakistan had to develop its own nuclear capability.[27] Both agreed on the need for Pakistan to develop a nuclear deterrent to meet India's nuclear capacity.[27] While, Munir Ahmad Khan had failed to convince Ayub Khan, Bhutto had said to Munir Ahmad Khan: Don't worry, our turn will come.[27]
After India's nuclear test codename Pokhran-I on May 1974. Bhutto sensed a great danger for Pakistan. In a press conference held on May 1974, shortly after India's nuclear test. Bhutto said
"EVEN IF WE HAVE TO EAT GRASS, WE WILL MAKE NUCLEAR BOMBS".
On the 20 January 1972, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto rallied a conference of nuclear scientists and engineers at Multan.[28] While at the Multan meeting, arranged by Bhutto's Science Advisor Abdus Salam, scientists were wondering why the President who had so much on his hands in those trying days was paying so much attention to the scientists and engineers in the nuclear field.[28] Bhutto said:" Look, we're going to have the bomb. He asked them: "Can you give it to me? And how long will it take it to make a bomb?".[28] The academic scientists replied: "Oh, yes, yes, You can have it."[28] There was a lively debate on the time needed to make the bomb, and finally one scientist dared to say that maybe it could be done in five years.[28] Prime Minister Bhutto smiled, lifted his hand, and dramatically thrust forward three fingers and said: "Three years, I want it in three years". The atmosphere suddenly became electric.[28] It was then that one of the junior scientist-dr. S.A.Butt (a theoretical physicist), who under Munir Ahmad Khan's guiding hand would come to play a major role in making the fission weapon possible jumped to his feet and clamoured for his leader's attention.[28] Dr. S.A Butt replied: "It can be done in three years". Bhutto was very much amused and he said: "Well, much as I appreciate your enthusiasm, this is a very serious political decision, which Pakistan must make, and perhaps all Third World countries must make one day, because it is coming. So can you do it?" And the scientist replied, "Yes, we can do it, given the resources and given the facilities". Bhutto's answer was simple, "I shall find you the resources and I shall find you the facilities".[29] Despite Pakistan limited financial resources, Bhutto was so enthusiastic about Pakistan nuclear bomb, that he is reported to have said "Pakistanis will eat grass but make a nuclear bomb."[30]
Bhutto with Munir Ahmad Khan (middle) and Abdus Salam (right) at KANUPP-I in 1972.
Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission's militarisation was initiated in January 20 of 1972 and, in its initial years, was implemented by Pakistan Army's Chief of Army Staff General Tikka Khan. The Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP-I) was inaugurated by Bhutto during his role as President of Pakistan at the end of 1972. Long before, as Minister for Fuel, Power, and National Resources, he has played a key role in setting up of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission. The nuclear weapons programme was set up loosely based on Manhattan Project of 1940s under the administrative control of Bhutto.[31] And, senior academic scientists had a direct access to Bhutto, who kept him informed about every inch of the development. Bhutto's Science Advisor, Abdus Salam's office was also sat up in Bhutto's Prime minister Secretariat.[31] On Bhutto's request, Salam had established and led the Theoretical Physics Group (TPG) that marked the beginning of the nuclear detterence programme. The TPG designed and developed the nuclear weapons as well as the entire programme.[31] Later, Munir Ahmad Khan had him personally approved the budget for the development of the programme.[31]
Wanting a capable administrator, Bhutto sought Lieutenant-General Rahimuddin Khan to chair the commission, which Rahimuddin declined, in 1971.[32] Instead, in January 1972, Bhutto chose a U.S. trained nuclear engineer Munir Ahmad Khan as chairman of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) as Bhutto realized that he would wanted an administrator who understood the scientific and economical needs of this such technologically giant and ambitious programme. Since 1965, Khan had developed extremely close and trusted relationship with Bhutto, and even after his death, Benazir and Murtaza Bhutto were instructed by their father to keep in touch with Munir Ahmed Khan. In spring of 1976, Kahuta Research Facility, then known as Engineering Research Laboratories (ERL), as part of codename Project-706, was also established by Bhutto, and brought under nuclear scientist Khan and the Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers' Lieutenant-General Zahid Ali Akbar.[31] As Bhutto was the main architect of Project-706, Lieutenant-General Zahid Ali Akbar Khan kept informed Bhutto about the progressed was made by dr. A.Q. Khan.[33]
Because Pakistan, under Bhutto, was not a signatory or party of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique (CEA), and British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) had immediately cancelled fuel reprocessing plant projects with PAEC. And, according to Kausar Niazi, the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission officials had misled Bhutto and he sought on a long journey to try to get Nuclear fuel reprocessing plant from France.[34] It was on the advice of Khan that no fuel existed to reprocess and urged him Bhutto to follow his pursuit of uranium enrichment.[34] Bhutto tried to show he was still interested in that expensive route and was relieved when Kissinger persuaded the French to cancel the deal.[34] Bhutto had trusted Munir Ahmad Khan's plans to develop the programme ingeniously, and the mainstream goal of showing such interest in French reprocessing plant was to give time to PAEC scientists to gain expertise in building its own reprocessing plants. By the time France's CEA cancelled the project, the PAEC had acquired 95% of the detailed plans of the plant and materials.[33][35] And, Munir Ahmad Khan and Ishfaq Ahmad believed that since PAEC had acquired most of the detailed plans, work, plans, and materials; the PAEC, based on that 95% work, could build the plutonium reprocessing reactors on its own, Pakistan should stick to its original plan, the plutonium route.[33][35] Bhutto did not disagree but saw an advantage in establishing another parallel programme, the uranium enrichment under Abdul Qadeer Khan.[33]
By the time Bhutto was ousted, PAEC and KRL had built their uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing plants, and selection for test sites, at Chagai Hills, was done by the PAEC.[6] The feasibility reports were submitted by both organizations on their works.[6] In 1977, the PAEC's Theoretical Physics Group had finished the designing of the first fission weapon, and KRL scientists succeeded in electromagnetic isotope separation of Uranium fissile isotopes.[6] In spite of this, little had been done in the development of weapons, and Pakistan's nuclear weapons were actually made by General Zia-ul-Haq's military regime, under the watchful eyes of several Naval admirals, Army and Air Force's generals including Ghulam Ishaq Khan.[34] In 1983, Bhutto's decision later proved to be right, when PAEC had conducted a cold test, near Kirana Hills, evidently made from non-fissioned plutonium. It has been speculated recently in the press that Dr. Khan's uranium enrichment designs were used by the Chinese in exchange for (UF6) and some highly enriched weapons grade uranium.[34] Later on this weapons grade uranium was offered back to the Chinese as the Pakistanis used their own materials.[
After India's nuclear test codename Pokhran-I on May 1974. Bhutto sensed a great danger for Pakistan. In a press conference held on May 1974, shortly after India's nuclear test. Bhutto said
"EVEN IF WE HAVE TO EAT GRASS, WE WILL MAKE NUCLEAR BOMBS".
On the 20 January 1972, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto rallied a conference of nuclear scientists and engineers at Multan.[28] While at the Multan meeting, arranged by Bhutto's Science Advisor Abdus Salam, scientists were wondering why the President who had so much on his hands in those trying days was paying so much attention to the scientists and engineers in the nuclear field.[28] Bhutto said:" Look, we're going to have the bomb. He asked them: "Can you give it to me? And how long will it take it to make a bomb?".[28] The academic scientists replied: "Oh, yes, yes, You can have it."[28] There was a lively debate on the time needed to make the bomb, and finally one scientist dared to say that maybe it could be done in five years.[28] Prime Minister Bhutto smiled, lifted his hand, and dramatically thrust forward three fingers and said: "Three years, I want it in three years". The atmosphere suddenly became electric.[28] It was then that one of the junior scientist-dr. S.A.Butt (a theoretical physicist), who under Munir Ahmad Khan's guiding hand would come to play a major role in making the fission weapon possible jumped to his feet and clamoured for his leader's attention.[28] Dr. S.A Butt replied: "It can be done in three years". Bhutto was very much amused and he said: "Well, much as I appreciate your enthusiasm, this is a very serious political decision, which Pakistan must make, and perhaps all Third World countries must make one day, because it is coming. So can you do it?" And the scientist replied, "Yes, we can do it, given the resources and given the facilities". Bhutto's answer was simple, "I shall find you the resources and I shall find you the facilities".[29] Despite Pakistan limited financial resources, Bhutto was so enthusiastic about Pakistan nuclear bomb, that he is reported to have said "Pakistanis will eat grass but make a nuclear bomb."[30]
Bhutto with Munir Ahmad Khan (middle) and Abdus Salam (right) at KANUPP-I in 1972.
Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission's militarisation was initiated in January 20 of 1972 and, in its initial years, was implemented by Pakistan Army's Chief of Army Staff General Tikka Khan. The Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP-I) was inaugurated by Bhutto during his role as President of Pakistan at the end of 1972. Long before, as Minister for Fuel, Power, and National Resources, he has played a key role in setting up of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission. The nuclear weapons programme was set up loosely based on Manhattan Project of 1940s under the administrative control of Bhutto.[31] And, senior academic scientists had a direct access to Bhutto, who kept him informed about every inch of the development. Bhutto's Science Advisor, Abdus Salam's office was also sat up in Bhutto's Prime minister Secretariat.[31] On Bhutto's request, Salam had established and led the Theoretical Physics Group (TPG) that marked the beginning of the nuclear detterence programme. The TPG designed and developed the nuclear weapons as well as the entire programme.[31] Later, Munir Ahmad Khan had him personally approved the budget for the development of the programme.[31]
Wanting a capable administrator, Bhutto sought Lieutenant-General Rahimuddin Khan to chair the commission, which Rahimuddin declined, in 1971.[32] Instead, in January 1972, Bhutto chose a U.S. trained nuclear engineer Munir Ahmad Khan as chairman of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) as Bhutto realized that he would wanted an administrator who understood the scientific and economical needs of this such technologically giant and ambitious programme. Since 1965, Khan had developed extremely close and trusted relationship with Bhutto, and even after his death, Benazir and Murtaza Bhutto were instructed by their father to keep in touch with Munir Ahmed Khan. In spring of 1976, Kahuta Research Facility, then known as Engineering Research Laboratories (ERL), as part of codename Project-706, was also established by Bhutto, and brought under nuclear scientist Khan and the Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers' Lieutenant-General Zahid Ali Akbar.[31] As Bhutto was the main architect of Project-706, Lieutenant-General Zahid Ali Akbar Khan kept informed Bhutto about the progressed was made by dr. A.Q. Khan.[33]
Because Pakistan, under Bhutto, was not a signatory or party of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique (CEA), and British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) had immediately cancelled fuel reprocessing plant projects with PAEC. And, according to Kausar Niazi, the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission officials had misled Bhutto and he sought on a long journey to try to get Nuclear fuel reprocessing plant from France.[34] It was on the advice of Khan that no fuel existed to reprocess and urged him Bhutto to follow his pursuit of uranium enrichment.[34] Bhutto tried to show he was still interested in that expensive route and was relieved when Kissinger persuaded the French to cancel the deal.[34] Bhutto had trusted Munir Ahmad Khan's plans to develop the programme ingeniously, and the mainstream goal of showing such interest in French reprocessing plant was to give time to PAEC scientists to gain expertise in building its own reprocessing plants. By the time France's CEA cancelled the project, the PAEC had acquired 95% of the detailed plans of the plant and materials.[33][35] And, Munir Ahmad Khan and Ishfaq Ahmad believed that since PAEC had acquired most of the detailed plans, work, plans, and materials; the PAEC, based on that 95% work, could build the plutonium reprocessing reactors on its own, Pakistan should stick to its original plan, the plutonium route.[33][35] Bhutto did not disagree but saw an advantage in establishing another parallel programme, the uranium enrichment under Abdul Qadeer Khan.[33]
By the time Bhutto was ousted, PAEC and KRL had built their uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing plants, and selection for test sites, at Chagai Hills, was done by the PAEC.[6] The feasibility reports were submitted by both organizations on their works.[6] In 1977, the PAEC's Theoretical Physics Group had finished the designing of the first fission weapon, and KRL scientists succeeded in electromagnetic isotope separation of Uranium fissile isotopes.[6] In spite of this, little had been done in the development of weapons, and Pakistan's nuclear weapons were actually made by General Zia-ul-Haq's military regime, under the watchful eyes of several Naval admirals, Army and Air Force's generals including Ghulam Ishaq Khan.[34] In 1983, Bhutto's decision later proved to be right, when PAEC had conducted a cold test, near Kirana Hills, evidently made from non-fissioned plutonium. It has been speculated recently in the press that Dr. Khan's uranium enrichment designs were used by the Chinese in exchange for (UF6) and some highly enriched weapons grade uranium.[34] Later on this weapons grade uranium was offered back to the Chinese as the Pakistanis used their own materials.[
