Nuclear Pakistan ─ Strategic Dimensions

Nuclear Pakistan is a critical study of the nuclear and deterrence-related security dilemma of Pakistan vis-i??-vis India. It recapitulates the different facets of its strategic dimensions in view of the growing conventional and strategic asymmetry. It critically examines some key issues such as NPT, nuclear command and control, BMD system, Pakistan's nuclear posture of credible minimum deterrence, Kashmir conflict, Pakistan's approach to biological weapons non-proliferation regime, and the role of tactical nuclear weapons in future offensive-deterrence planning - from a Pakistani prism.

In the twenty-first century, Pakistan faces multiple threats--military-cum-non-military in parallel with its weak economic, diplomatic and regional clout vis-i??-vis India. This situation was further aggravated as a consequence to the negative effects of the Indo-United States Nuclear Agreement and the Strategic Partnership on Pakistan. Consequently, Pakistan's policy of strategic posturing has manifestly shifted toward comparative risk taking with intent to strengthen its deterrence against its adversary--India. Moreover, in order to make its deterrence more vibrant and effective, Pakistan had initiated a sophisticated strategic measures in the realm of restructuring and reinforcement of its command and control and export control regimes and, in addition, calibrated it's nuclear posturing on more ambiguous pedestal. In this backdrop, the book endeavours to unravel a whole gamut of issues that are by default linked with this policy.

Zulfqar Khan is a Senior Analyst of the Pakistan Ministry of Defence; Visiting Fellow at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute; former Visiting Faculty of Department of Defence & Strategic Studies at Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad; and presently Visiting Faculty of the National Defence University in Islamabad. He has over twenty-five years experience in the field of research and analysis in different institutions, universities in the field of nuclear, defence, security, and conflict and diplomatic affairs.