Too much of a flurry has been created about Pakistan having the “fastest growing nuclear arsenal” in the world. The information is misleading. Our capabilities may be growing fast, but they are still behind those of India. The information is based on a report released by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in August, that is a list of assumptions and predictions- hardly facts. No matter, research is research, and the witch-hunt has begun to limit Pakistan's nuclear power. The Indian media is especially happy with the development, and India will be the first to benefit from any restrictions the US would like to impose on us.
Such is the political chatter prior to the arrival of PM Nawaz Sharif in Washington next week. They focus on the American concern that Pakistan might be on the verge of deploying a small tactical nuclear weapon — explicitly modelled on weapons that US put in Europe during the Cold War to deter a Soviet invasion — that would be far harder to secure than the country's arsenal of larger weapons. The discussions are being led by Peter R Lavoy, an intelligence expert on the Pakistani programme who is now on the staff of the National Security Council. Media reports suggest that the US is in the early stages of exploring a nuclear deal with Pakistan that would limit the country’s nuclear arsenal, and is also in doubt over whether Islamabad would accept it.
The US will turn us into another Iran if they go down this path, another global boogyman. Pakistan will never bend to such deals, and only suffer economically if any sanctions are enforced. These are the seeds for more resentment, more terror and more extremism. The US is playing with fire. However, it may not reach the state of sanctions, but we may have limitations put on our sale and buying of technology. China has already broken ground on a $9.6 billion nuclear power complex in Karachi, so the regulation will amount to naught- except the creation of Pakistan into a regional villain.
In all this, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Vice President has chimed in that: “If Pakistan would take the actions requested by the US, it would essentially amount to recognition of rehabilitation and would essentially amount to parole." Again, inserting opinion where there should be facts- adding fuel to the fire that is burning the Pakistan image abroad. The sentiment in the US is that Pakistan needs a “recognition of rehabilitation”- insulting, when Indian has been funding terrorism in Pakistan and Afghanistan and is the only real threat to Pakistan’s existence.