Former Diplomat Zamir Akram's Book About Pak Nuclear Deterrence, Diplomacy Launched

The Arms Control and Disarmament Centre (ACDC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies (ISSI) on Wednesday hosted the launch of a book titled 'The Security Imperative Pakistan`s Nuclear Deterrence and Diplomacy' authored by former ambassador Zamir Akram

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Mar, 2023 ) :The Arms Control and Disarmament Centre (ACDC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies (ISSI) on Wednesday hosted the launch of a book titled 'The Security Imperative Pakistan`s Nuclear Deterrence and Diplomacy' authored by former ambassador Zamir Akram.

Director General ISSI and former foreign secretary Sohail Mahmood lauded Zamir Akram for his valuable contributions to the field of nuclear diplomacy throughout a diplomatic career spanning over 38 years.

While highlighting the importance of the theme, he said that building nuclear deterrence was Pakistan`s indispensable response to the existential threat posed by India's nuclearization.

Meanwhile, he said, Pakistan's nuclear diplomacy has remained sharp and tenacious.

It had illustrated to the world the country's India-specific rationale for the development of nuclear deterrent, reinforced efforts to maintain strategic stability in South Asia, opposed unfair and discriminatory approaches; and continuously countered the smear against Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme, a press release quoted him as saying.

Sohail Mahmood also underlined that the book illustrated the contributions of Pakistan's diplomats and offered a distinctively Pakistani perspective on this important subject.

In his keynote address, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), General (R) Zubair Mahmood Hayat said that for Pakistan, the security threat was both real and existential, which was further intensified by the Indian quest for war, domination and hegemony as so-called 'net security provider' in the region.

"India is the biggest nuclear 'black hole' in the world that introduced nuclear weapons in South Asia and the Indian Ocean. The NSG waiver by the US, the Indian acquisition of BMD, and ASAT capabilities are the most destabilising factors in South Asia," he noted.

Furthermore, he said, narrative building was a core component of every aspect of the nuclear deterrence spectrum and Zamir Akram had put forward Pakistan`s narrative in an effective manner.

In his introductory remarks, Malik Qasim Mustafa, Director ACDC-ISSI, said the author explained how the inherited legacy of disputes and hostility between India and Pakistan and geography were the main security imperatives.

He argued that the country achieved deterrence exclusively for deterrence against a nuclear-armed India and to prevent war, as "a full-scale war ceased to be an option for either country.

" There was a large attendance of academics, former and serving Pakistani diplomats, experts from think tanks and members of the foreign diplomatic corps in Pakistan at the event.

Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, Director, school of politics and International Relations (SPIR) at Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) Islamabad, in his comments said that the author sounded nuclear optimist while describing Pakistan's reasons for developing a nuclear programme. Akram had meticulously narrated Pakistan`s nuclear history, separating facts from fiction.

"As a first-hand diplomatic account of Pakistan`s nuclear programme set in the broader geopolitical context, this book is a distinctive addition to the existing literature in the field," he added.

Major General (R) Ausaf Ali, Advisor Strategic Plans Division (SPD), said that this book elucidated almost all facets of Pakistan's nuclear programme.

It highlighted the technical, financial and security challenges faced by Pakistani engineers and scientists. Above all, this book was a narration of how their skilled diplomats quietly but successfully contested, protected and determined Pakistan's nuclear future at key capitals and various multilateral forums in an unfriendly environment.

Zamir Akram highlighted the biased and unfair treatment towards Pakistan in the nuclear realm, stressing that Pakistan had repeatedly made clear that the development of its nuclear programme was a 'security imperative' and India-specific.

The 1998 testing was the finest hour in the history of Pakistan as these tests brought about a paradigm shift in the historic correlation of power between Pakistan and India and replaced it with a new security calculus between India and Pakistan, he added.

He said that credible deterrence did not remain static because of changes in technology and policy. Therefore, Pakistan should be vigilant and continuously evolve its conventional and nuclear capabilities to avoid nuclear 'blackmail' from India.

In his concluding remarks, Khalid Mahmood, Chairman BoG ISSI, said that this book launch was significant because Pakistan's narrative on nuclear deterrence was coming from an experienced diplomat.