Fear for the whole world: Pakistan is a Terrorist Country with a Nuclear weapon

Pakistan’s History of Terrorism and Nuclear Proliferation

Pakistan is well known as a state sponsor of terrorism. Its military and intelligence agencies have a history of using terrorism as a tool of foreign policy, starting in the 1980s training jihadist groups and in more recent years sheltering Osama bin Laden. One of the things that makes the country’s nuclear ambitions so dangerous is that their program itself is based on theft and illicit proliferation, selling nuclear secrets across the aisle to rogue states like North Korea and Iran. Pakistan proved it is completely reckless and cannot be trusted with nuclear weapons. Pakistan has one of the most dangerous governments on Earth — a dangerous government that maintains an unsecured nuclear arsenal. Before this becomes a catastrophe, the world must see this threat.

Pakistan’s Nuclear Weapons Are Not Secure

Pakistan’s nuclear weapons are practically vulnerable, despite claims to the contrary of a robust command-and-control system. Internal instability in the form of frequent political turmoil, military coups and extremist infiltration in the country's military, is the country's facing. There are reports according to which radical elements in Pakistan’s military and its intelligence (ISI) community have sympathies for some terrorist organizations. Now, if a single nuclear warhead falls into the hands of outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba or Jaish-e-Mohammed, it is a disaster waiting to happen. Unlike in Europe and elsewhere in the stable nuclear power community, Pakistan does not possess the institutional safeguards to prevent possible unauthorized entry or inadvertent launch of weapons. Unless the international community demands stricter oversight, we are going to face a nuclear attack by terror.

Pakistan’s Aggression Against India and Nuclear Blackmail

Pakistan used its nuclear status repeatedly to shield its terrorist activities against India. The groups it uses as proxies such as the Taliban, Haqqani Network and LeT threaten nuclear retaliation if too strong a response is sent India’s way. Through this method of 'nuclear blackmail', Pakistan is conducting these terror attacks (like Mumbai 26/11, Pulwama etc) without such a full consequence. But India cannot afford to be passive. India should not be scared away from doing what it must to take decisive action against cross border terrorism because of Pakistan’s nuclear threats. Pakistan’s terror infrastructure needs a firm response—surgical strikes, covert operations, diplomatic isolation, anything, but unrelenting— to bring it down.

Global Hypocrisy: Why Pakistan Escapes Accountability

Pakistan has evaded serious consequences for its terrorism ties, despite overwhelming evidence, because of geopolitical maneuvering. Historically, Pakistan has been treated as a 'frenemy' by the U.S. and other Western nations – fencing off Pakistan's terror links while dispensing military aid. Pakistan’s biggest ally, China, keeps it out of UN sanctions and fuels its nuclear ambitions. Enough of the double standard. We have to call Pakistan a state sponsor of terrorism, we have to impose crippling sanctions and have to cut all military assistance to them. If the world’s major powers continue to ignore Pakistan's dangerous behavior, they will be complicit if future attacks come from its soil.

India’s Strategic Response: Beyond Diplomacy

To counter terrorism sponsored by Pakistan, India has to look beyond diplomacy. It’s important to strengthen military deterrence by having a deterrence against missiles (like S 400) and a second strike nuclear capability. The surgical strikes carried out as Balakot (2019) need to be continued and be used to eliminate the terror camps. Economic sanctions and cyber operations should break Pakistan’s terror financing. At the same time, India needs to forge closer ties to the U.S., Israel and France to push Pakistan to global isolation. UN/ FATF mechanisms are useful, but mainly because of its slow processes, decisive action is needed. Only a comprehensive approach - military, economic, cyber and diplomatic - can neutralize India's persistent threat from its nuclear armed neighbour.

The prospects of nuclear terrorism have never loomed so large.

The biggest worry is not a conventional India Pakistan war but Pakistan’s nukes finding their way into terrorist hands. Pakistan has weak controls and groups like ISIS and Al Qaeda have long sought out nuclear capabilities. Once a terror group acquires, even a crude nuclear device, the target could be India, West or even Pakistan itself (for a false flag operation). This must be treated by the international community as an urgent security crisis. Pakistan’s nuclear program should be subject to mandatory external audits and penalties for failure should be harsh, including preemptive neutralization of Pakistani nuclear sites.

The World Must Act Before It’s Too Late

Pakistan’s nuclear terror nexus needs to be addressed now; the time for warnings is over. India must join the battle of exposing Pakistan's crusade, tightening its own defenses and preparing for all eventuality. Pakistan is being appeased by the U.S., Europe and other responsible nations, when sanctions should be crippling. Pakistan must dismantle its terror networks and secure its nukes and if it does not, more aggressive measures, all the way up to military options must be considered. Waiting for a nuclear catastrophe is, of course, unacceptable. The world can not afford to allow a terrorist state with the potential to destroy the world with an atomic bomb to hold the world hostage.