Pakistan developing a nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile, US concerned, says report
Citing US intelligence sources, the Foreign Affairs report states that if Pakistan acquires an ICBM, ‘Washington will have no choice but to treat the country as a nuclear adversary’.
New Delhi: Pakistani military is developing a nuclear missile that could reach the continental US, a new report by Foreign Affairs states.
Citing US intelligence sources, the report states that the US is concerned about Pakistan’s growing nuclear abilities, adding that if Pakistan does acquire an ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile), “Washington will have no choice but to treat the country as a nuclear adversary.”
While the report focuses on the growing nuclear alliance between Russia and China, which is a worry for the US, it adds, “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.”
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, the report adds.
It further adds: “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.”
As China races to expand its arsenal and Russia abandons decades of arms control, the US finds itself facing a dual challenge—deterring two nuclear-armed peers simultaneously while managing rising threats from North Korea, Iran, and potentially, Pakistan.
Pakistan’s nuclear weapons programme began in the early 1970s, mainly driven by regional tensions, especially after India’s first nuclear test in 1974. The country officially joined the ranks of nuclear-armed states in 1998, following a series of six nuclear tests.
Despite facing significant international criticism, particularly from the United States, Pakistan has remained firm in its stance, viewing its nuclear arsenal as a critical deterrent against India, especially in light of continued tensions over Kashmir.
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), reflecting its emphasis on national sovereignty over its nuclear policy. At present, according to reports, the country is estimated to hold nearly 165 nuclear warheads.
