Pakistan: Now or Never?

Washington has given Pakistan data on militants in the Afghanistan border area gathered by surveillance drones in Pakistani airspace under an agreement with Islamabad, U.S. officials said on Thursday.

Confirming the existence of the program, which started in mid-March, U.S. military officials said it allowed the Pakistani military to request missions over specific areas of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

With Pakistani Taliban militants mounting an increasingly robust challenge to security forces, fears have been raised about the safety of the country's nuclear arsenal.

The security of the weapons may figure in talks in Washington on Wednesday between President Asif Ali Zardari and President Barack Obama.


Pakistan first tested nuclear weapons in 1998 in response to tests by old rival and neighbor India.

WHAT IS THE U.S. POSITION?

Obama said last week he was confident about the security of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal although he was "gravely concerned" about the overall situation in Pakistan because of its weak government.

Despite that, the New York Times reported this week growing concern among U.S. officials that militants might try to snatch a nuclear weapon in transit or insert sympathizers into laboratories or fuel-production facilities.

Pakistani analysts see the mixed signals from the United States as adding to pressure on the government, which the United States wants to see getting to grips with the militant threat.

WHAT IS PAKISTAN'S POSTION?

Pakistan rejects such fears over its nuclear weapons as "misplaced and unfounded" saying it has very robust, multilayered command and control systems.

Many Pakistanis believe the ultimate U.S. aim is to confiscate Pakistan's nuclear weapons and analysts say reports of U.S. fears about nuclear security fuel such conspiracy theories.

WHO CONTROLS THE WEAPONS?

Pakistan does not release details of its nuclear arsenal. Analysts' estimates of the arsenal's size range from 50-70 weapons up to 150.

The weapons are under control of the military's Strategic Plans Division (SPD). During a period of political instability last year the division boosted security at nuclear facilities and launched a public relations offensive to counter what Pakistan regards as scaremongering over nuclear weapon security.

In a rare news conference, the division's director-general, retired Lieutenant-General Khalid Kidwai, said there was no chance of Islamist militants getting their hands on atomic weapons.

The SPD is overseen by the National Command Authority headed by the president and with the prime minister as its vice chairman. Main cabinet ministers and the heads of the army, navy and air force are also members of the NCA, which controls all aspects of the nuclear program, including deployment and, if ever necessary, their use. Continued...