Pakistan sets up tri-command nuclear force: officials

0 Comments | Asian Political News, August 14, 2006

Musharraf, who came into power in October 1999, set up the NCA in February 2000 to decide on nuclear weapons deployment.

The NCA's secretariat, known as the Strategic Plans Division, is located in the office of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, adjacent to Islamabad, and headed by three-star Lt. Gen. Khalid Kidwai.

The division oversees the activities of all the nuclear and missile-related organizations, including the ASF, with the assistance of two committees that respectively decide about the size of the minimum nuclear deterrence and their deployment.

The creation of the ASF was hastened by the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on the United States, which exposed Pakistan's vulnerability to a preemptive strike by India or forces hostile to Pakistan's nuclear program.

At the time, India had offered bases to the United States for operations against the Taliban and al-Qaida positions in Afghanistan that would involve overflying Pakistan, which was then one of only three countries recognizing the Taliban government.

Pakistan responded by also joining the coalition against international terrorism and offering bases to the United States.

Sultan said one reason Pakistan acted as it did was because failure to do so would have endangered its strategic assets. ''Had we not taken the decision, had we not joined the coalition, probably, yes, there could have been a strike,'' he said.

The spokesman said that with the setting up of the ASF, Pakistan is now in a position to retaliate if India were to opt for a preemptive strike against Pakistan.

''One can say that Pakistan would be able to survive any kind of strike and will be able to respond,'' he said. ''But let me put on record that this is only an academic discussion. Normally, no two countries should talk about these serious matters. It is not only dangerous for one country, it is dangerous for the whole world.''