03-25-2004, 06:40 PM
<i>Excellent article..</i><b>Cost Pakistan Incurred to Build the Nuclear Bomb</b>
Guest Column-by Hari Sud
Cost of building the Pakistani Nuclear Bomb, since Zulfikaar Ali Bhutto initiated the program in 1974, has been variously estimated. Some experts have put the cost at $10 to $25 Billion dollars. Others estimate it as at low as $5.5 Billion. It is hard to pin down the costs as most of the Bomb making costs from 1974 till the 1989 cold test, have been deliberately disguised.
In the absence of any data, various peace groups, government agencies, and leaks in the various newspapers have attempted to estimate these costs. These estimates have served their purpose. American do not wish every country in the world to attempt building nuclear bombs, hence they suggest prohibitive costs. Present day dictators wish to challenge the super powers, hence embark upon this program to give himself or herself, parity with the super powers hence ignore costs at the expense of economic development.
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Pakistan and Its Quest for the bomb
Pakistan currently is exhausted with its Jihad, nuclear parity expenses and general economic collapse brought on by diverting monies to needless causes. It has probably lost a bit of its internal sovereignty to US by letting US joint control over its nuclear weapons. Columnist Khursheed Nadeem has asked recently:
* Why did Regular Pakistani army with nuclear weapons fail to win over Kashmir?
* Why did Jehad fail in Kashmir?
* Why has diplomacy failed to win Kashmir?
His point â Is it worthwhile to continue with high expenses on army, nuclear weapons and missiles, since there is no possibility of catching up with India and grabbing Kashmir. The technology developed so far can only be gifted away not sold for a price to defray the initial expenses. The driving force for these expenses i.e. the Kashmir issue and parity with India are still insolvable issues. Kashmir will always remain Indian and India is too big for Pakistan to get a meaningful parity, hence quite a bit of waste has happened in a country with poor resources.
Guest Column-by Hari Sud
Cost of building the Pakistani Nuclear Bomb, since Zulfikaar Ali Bhutto initiated the program in 1974, has been variously estimated. Some experts have put the cost at $10 to $25 Billion dollars. Others estimate it as at low as $5.5 Billion. It is hard to pin down the costs as most of the Bomb making costs from 1974 till the 1989 cold test, have been deliberately disguised.
In the absence of any data, various peace groups, government agencies, and leaks in the various newspapers have attempted to estimate these costs. These estimates have served their purpose. American do not wish every country in the world to attempt building nuclear bombs, hence they suggest prohibitive costs. Present day dictators wish to challenge the super powers, hence embark upon this program to give himself or herself, parity with the super powers hence ignore costs at the expense of economic development.
........
.....
Pakistan and Its Quest for the bomb
Pakistan currently is exhausted with its Jihad, nuclear parity expenses and general economic collapse brought on by diverting monies to needless causes. It has probably lost a bit of its internal sovereignty to US by letting US joint control over its nuclear weapons. Columnist Khursheed Nadeem has asked recently:
* Why did Regular Pakistani army with nuclear weapons fail to win over Kashmir?
* Why did Jehad fail in Kashmir?
* Why has diplomacy failed to win Kashmir?
His point â Is it worthwhile to continue with high expenses on army, nuclear weapons and missiles, since there is no possibility of catching up with India and grabbing Kashmir. The technology developed so far can only be gifted away not sold for a price to defray the initial expenses. The driving force for these expenses i.e. the Kashmir issue and parity with India are still insolvable issues. Kashmir will always remain Indian and India is too big for Pakistan to get a meaningful parity, hence quite a bit of waste has happened in a country with poor resources.