Youm-e-Takbeer — A day of pride for Pakistan

28th May 1998 — a day of pride for Pakistan when Pakistan entered in the list of nuclear countries by carrying out 5 overt nuclear tests at Chaghi, in Balochistan. It was apparently a direct and straight response to Indian nuclear tests carried out just two weeks prior to Pakistan’s nuclear test. This day is officially tagged by Pakistani Government as Youm-e-Takbeer.


Due to this perceptible event, Pakistan became a target of international community – was criticized heavily by many countries. Economic sanctions were also imposed on Pakistan by United States. Pakistan claimed that its nuclear program is merely for self-defense just like any other country including India.


The history of Pakistan’s nuclear program dates back to early 1970’s – the era of the then Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto due to his candid nature of governance iterated that if India was to get nuclear technology for self-defense then Pakistan wouldn’t lag behind – will get nuclear technology for self-defense too. His famous sentence “We will eat grass, but will make Atom Bomb” is well cited in the Chronicles of Pakistan’s Nuclear Program.


There has been a number of controversies regarding Dr. Abdul Qadir Khan as a national hero – and a founder of Pakistan’s nuclear program. Things always get pretty much hazy in such events – 100 mouths and 100 talkses. I wouldn’t go into any of the controversy rather. There has been quite a number of names juxtaposed to Dr AQ Khan’s name regarding the 28th May nuclear tests. These names kept on splattering from the Pandora box time to time.


This is the legacy of Pakistan that the top-secret nuclear lab is still named as “A Q Khan Lab”, but the person holding this name is under the siege. It is an open truth that he didn’t act alone, but he has again sacrificed for Pakistan and took all the blame we all know that. Shame on us. At this moment, I can’t recall the name of any country or any individual’s name from the history of this millennium who took such a blame for his country. Could any one of you name any other country or individual? Or even any country which left any such example making their heroes as zeros?


Anyway, at this particular event – rather than disputing on the name and role of Dr AQ Khan, I think we should equally pay tribute to all the scientists – the whole team involved in the inducing of nuclear tests including Dr. AQ Khan. All the members of PAEC and KRL are our true heroes. This nation owes them a big tribute, not only we – the living one, but our generations to come too.


Pakistan Zindabad.