NUCLEAR WEAPONS AFTER MUSHARRAF

There is a lot of pressure, national and international, on Mr. Musharraf to quit as Army Chief in Pakistan. There is a belief that Pakistan’s prosperity lies safe in Musharraf’s hands with his moderate views. Doubts are also raised, rightly so, in the media regarding the fate of nuclear weapons if the Pakistan President is no more in the seat of power, without control over the all powerful military. It is now well known that the terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda and Taliban are very active in the country. What will happen to the nuclear stockpile? Even one instance of detonation of the so-called dirty bomb (which is not a nuclear weapon in the real sense) is enough to crate panic situation worldwide.

The countries which are close to Pakistan such as US, former ex-premiers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, or United Nations organization like International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) should immediately take all the necessary steps to ensure adequate surveillance and safety and security measures for the nuclear weapon inventory in Pakistan even in case of change or uncertainty in the government leadership in Pakistan. The so-called extreme decisions by military or militants should not result in an avoidable global emergency situation.