Amid growing tensions between India and Pakistan following the 11/26 Mumbai terror attacks, Pakistani nuclear scientist Dr. Samar Mubarakmand spoke of the readiness of Pakistani missiles and of their capability to target Indian cities. Dr. Mubarakmand, who has steered the Pakistani nuclear program for the past several decades alongside disgraced nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, expressed his views during a talk show.
Following are excerpts from the interview, as published in the Urdu-language Pakistani newspaper Roznama Express: [1]
"Pakistan’s nuclear assets are in safe hands.
"Every Indian city is on the target of our missiles, and [Pakistan's] atomic technology is better than that of India. [We] can fire the missiles at only 10 minutes' notice...
"I am very satisfied with the defense preparedness. As long as [we] didn’t have nuclear weapons, India had a three and a half advantage [over Pakistan]. But this advantage was levelled when we conducted the nuclear testing.
"Following the nuclear testing, we tested missiles like the Shaheen, the Ghaznavi, the Shaheen II, and the Ghauri. After this, India’s tone and language [vis-à-vis Pakistan] changed...
"The nuclear tests carried out by India were of eight to 10 tons, whereas our [atomic tests] were of 25 to 30 tons, and the one we conducted in Kharan [Desert, in Baluchistan] were of 10 to 12 tons. This is why our weapons are better [than India's]...
"Our Shaheen missiles hit targets [during testing]; the world recognized their delivery system. None of India’s cities can remain safe from our missiles... Pakistan's width is less than India's, which is 1,200 to 1,400 kilometers. Therefore, no corner of India is safe from the Shaheen II...
"We have also developed cruise missiles. And Pakistan is the fourth country in the world to have cruise missiles...
"We should talk to India strongly... Even while giving the message of friendship, we should make [Indians] realize that we are not weak...
"Being a small nation, if we abandon the option... to launch a nuclear attack, then there won’t be any use of the second option. This way you end one advantage...
"Our missile system is ready, [and] can be fired in only 10 minutes - they are on the launchers..."
Endnote:
[1] Roznama Express (Pakistan), December 4, 2008.
