EPILOGUE:
Pakistan possesses close to two hundred nuclear weapons , while its search for security continues. In 2011, several major events rocked the state of Pakistan , raising a litany of concerns: a crisis of national identity between moderates and conservatives ; the fate of its fledgling democracy ; and the future of US-Pakistan relations. The internal and external struggles continue to mount. The year 2011 began with the brutal assassinations of Punjab’s liberal governor Salman Taseer, on January 4, 2011, and a few months later of Christian minority minister Shahbaz in Islamabad , incited by Islamic fundamentalism that saw that state under the fear of reprisals. As a result , these incidents sparked an internal debate about the fate of the country.1 That same month , CIA contractor Raymond Davis killed two Pakistani citizens in Lahore ,triggering unprecedented anger among the Pakistanis . This issue was eventually resolved after blood money was paid to the family of the victims , but it triggered a level of distrust among allies in the war on terrorism.
On May 2, 2011 , in a spectacular raid deep into Pakistan in the city of Abbot bad , U.S. Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden. No incident in recent history was as sensational and shocking. The Abbot bad operation created intense controversy in the country , since it was viewed as a breach of Pakistan’s sovereignty.2 This was followed by official statements by U.S. government officials alleging complacency or complicity of the Pakistani security forces.3 Then came the November 26,2011 , attack led by U.S. forces on the Pakistani Army check-post at Salala on the border with Afghanistan , which killed twenty seven soldiers and officers; it proved to be the proverbial “ straw that broke the camel’s back” and brought U.S. –Pak relations to an all time low.
These military operations punctured the balloon of uncertainty and mistrust that had progressively matured over the decade since Pakistan joined the war against terrorism in the aftermath of September 11, 2011. The combination of these factors has served to aggravate the anti-American sentiment within the country , which is enhanced by conspiracy theorist s and right wingers on both sides .
Pakistan ‘s National Engineering and Scientific Commission ( NESCOM) has developed the Burraq Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) , which in future can be armed like a Predator with increased range, giving it the capabilities of an unmanned combat aerial vehicle or a cruise missile. Its current range stands at 1250 km , which can provide enhanced coast to coast capability one way.
In South Asia there are clear trajectories in nuclear trend-lines indicating new security doctrines , force modernizations, and technological innovations that are leading the region into a nuclear arms race. An end to the rivalry with India, stabilization of Afghanistan , and resolving the variety of domestic issues would be an ultimate gain for the whole region, especially it opens up the trade and energy corridors between Central Asia and South Asia.
Specifically , in the case of Pakistan , achieving balance in conventional force numbers and modernization , in tandem with progress in bilateral relations with India, is the key to lowering numbers of nuclear weapons. Pakistan ‘s political stability is still uncertain , and the future of strategic stability in the light of these developments and modernizations is still not assured. Undoubtedly , the coming decade will be one of continued strain and skepticism . A continued dialogue and understanding of the nuclear environment and security doctrines in the region are necessary to keep any conflict at bay.
EPILOGUE