Shocking! Big worry for US as Pakistan developing nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile which can hit…, Pakistani military plans to…

New Delhi: The Pakistani military is reportedly developing a nuclear missile that could reach the continental US. According to a new report by Foreign Affairs citing US intelligence sources, the United States is concerned about Pakistan’s growing nuclear abilities. The report further added that if Pakistan does acquire an ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile), “Washington will have no choice but to treat the country as a nuclear adversary.”

The report also focuses on the growing nuclear alliance between Russia and China, which is a worry for the US. “Although Pakistan claims its nuclear programme is strictly focused on deterring India, which enjoys conventional military superiority, US intelligence agencies have concluded that the Pakistani military is developing an ICBM that could reach the continental United States,” it reads.

It is important to note that in acquiring such a capability, Pakistan may be seeking to deter the United States from either trying to eliminate its arsenal in a preventive attack or intervening on India’s behalf in a future Indian-Pakistani conflict.

“Regardless, as US officials have noted, if Pakistan acquires an ICBM, Washington will have no choice but to treat the country as a nuclear adversary—no other country with ICBMs that can target the United States is considered a friend. In short, mounting nuclear dangers now lurk in every region of vital interest to the United States,” it further adds.

The Nuclear Race:

As China rapidly expands its nuclear arsenal and Russia walks away from decades of arms control agreements, the United States now faces a dual challenge: deterring two major nuclear-armed rivals at once while also managing growing threats from North Korea, Iran, and potentially Pakistan.

Pakistan and its Nuclear Programs:

  • The nuclear weapons programme in Pakistan commenced in the early 1970s
  • It was mainly driven by regional tensions, especially after India’s first nuclear test in 1974.
  • It was in the year 1988 when Pakistan officially joined the ranks of nuclear-armed states, following a series of six nuclear tests.
  • Pakistan’s nuclear program faced significant international criticism, particularly from the United States. However, Pakistan remained firm in its stance
  • The programme has evolved to include a range of nuclear weapons, including tactical options designed for battlefield use.
  • Pakistan has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) or the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)
  • The move reflected its emphasis on national sovereignty over its nuclear policy.
  • At present, according to reports, the country is estimated to hold nearly 165 nuclear warheads.

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