|
| Pakistan has 60 N-warheads: US Congressional report |
| BS Reporter / New Delhi May 28, 2009, 13:15 IST |
|
Two weeks after Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the US Senate that Pakistan has been expanding its nuclear arsenal, a US Congressional Research Service (CRS) report released on Wednesday has estimated that Pakistan has 60 nuclear warheads. Previous estimates pegged the number of warheads at 80-100.
The report -- Pakistan's Nuclear Weapons: Proliferation and Security Issues -– said: “Pakistan's nuclear arsenal consists of approximately 60 nuclear warheads. It continues fissile material production for weapons, and is adding to its weapons production facilities and delivery vehicles.”
The report notes that India is clearly the only country Pakistan's “minimum credible deterrent” is directed against.
Giving details of the nuclear warheads, the report said the weapons “use an implosion design with a solid core of highly enriched uranium (HEU), about 15-20 kg per warhead and Islamabad continues to produce about 100 kg of highly enriched uranium for weapons every year.”
Islamabad's plans to add to its arsenal is exposed due to the expansion work – with help from China -- of the Khushab plutonium production reactor, noted the report.
There is growing concern in the US and India over the safety of Pakistan's nuclear weapons and growing suspicion that US aid ($3-billion military aid in 5 years and $7.5-billion civilian aid) might be siphoned off to feed Pakistan's military, especially its military programme.
The New York Times had reported earlier that US has spent $100 million to protect Pakistan's nuclear assets from falling into the hands of terrorists or their sympathisers. Another cause for concern is that these warheads are stored Buner and Swat in Pakistan – areas that are under the sway of the Taliban and other militant organisations.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Read Business news in |  |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advertisements |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Content Guide
