Pakistan Rejects Trump’s Nuclear Testing Claim, Cites Continued 1998 Moratorium

A senior Pakistani security official firmly rebutted U.S. President Donald Trump's assertion that Pakistan is secretly conducting nuclear weapons tests, emphasising that Islamabad "will not be the first to resume nuclear tests" and has adhered to a unilateral moratorium since 1998. The response came swiftly after Trump's remarks in a CBS "60 Minutes" interview aired on Sunday, where he defended his administration's decision to resume U.S. nuclear testing after a 33-year hiatus, claiming adversaries like Russia, China, North Korea, and Pakistan are covertly detonating devices underground to evade detection. "Pakistan was not the first to carry out nuclear tests and will not be the first to resume nuclear tests," the official told CBS News, underscoring Pakistan's policy of restraint despite not being a signatory to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which it supports in spirit but has not ratified. This exchange highlights escalating global tensions over nuclear postures, as Trump's directive—issued last week amid strained talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping—has drawn international scrutiny and calls for de-escalation.

Trump, pressed by correspondent Norah O'Donnell on the rationale for ending the U.S. moratorium established in 1992 under President George H.W. Bush, argued that America cannot afford unilateral disarmament in a multipolar world. "Russia's testing, and China's testing, but they don't talk about it... And certainly North Korea's been testing. Pakistan's been testing," he stated, dismissing concerns about detectability by noting that deep underground blasts produce only faint vibrations. He framed the resumption as essential for maintaining deterrence, insisting, "I don't want to be the only country that doesn't test," and revealed discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Xi on denuclearisation. The full 73-minute interview transcript, released by CBS amid past editing controversies, has fuelled debates on transparency, with Trump's nominee for U.S. Strategic Command testifying to Congress that neither Russia nor China is currently conducting explosive tests—contradicting the president's claims. Critics, including arms control experts, warn that such rhetoric risks unravelling the fragile post-Cold War non-proliferation regime.

Pakistan's last confirmed nuclear tests occurred on May 28, 1998, in the Chagai Hills—codenamed Chagai-I—with five simultaneous detonations yielding an estimated 40-45 kilotons, in direct response to India's Pokhran-II tests earlier that month. These events, part of a tit-for-tat escalation, propelled both nations into the nuclear club amid the Kargil conflict's shadow, with Pakistan's arsenal now estimated at 170 warheads focused on tactical and short-range systems to counter India's conventional superiority. Since then, Islamabad has upheld its moratorium, as reiterated by the Foreign Ministry, which states it "will not be the first to resume testing in South Asia" to avoid an arms race. This stance aligns with global norms, though Pakistan's non-signatory status to the CTBT—alongside India and North Korea—leaves room for ambiguity, especially as it modernises delivery systems like the Shaheen-III missile.

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The broader history of nuclear testing reveals a stark contrast: since the first U.S. detonation in 1945 (Trinity test), over 2,056 explosions have been conducted by eight nations, with the U.S. (1,030 tests) and Soviet Union/Russia (715) dominating. Atmospheric tests peaked in the 1950s-60s, spewing fallout that caused an estimated 200,000-460,000 deaths by 2020, per UN data, prompting the 1963 Partial Test Ban Treaty and the 1996 CTBT. Last known explosive tests include the U.S. (1992), Russia (1990), China/France (1996), the UK (1991), Pakistan/India (1998), and North Korea (2017, six total since 2006). No verified detonations have occurred elsewhere since, though subcritical and hydrodynamic tests continue for stockpile stewardship without fission. Trump's revival of testing—potentially non-explosive per Energy Secretary Chris Wright—evokes fears of a new arms race, especially in South Asia, where India maintains a no-first-use policy amid China's projected 1,000 warheads by 2030.

China's Foreign Ministry swiftly denied Trump's accusations, with spokeswoman Mao Ning affirming Beijing's adherence as a "responsible nuclear-weapons state" and urging Washington to bolster non-proliferation. Moscow has yet to respond, but Russia's 2023 revocation of CTBT ratification—mirroring U.S. non-ratification—signals eroding commitments. For India, facing nuclear-armed neighbours on dual fronts, the claims amplify strategic anxieties, potentially justifying its own advancements like Agni-VI ICBMs, though New Delhi has adhered to a voluntary moratorium since 1998. As the U.S. prepares tests at Nevada's site, analysts from the Federation of American Scientists caution that overt or covert detonations could fracture the global taboo, spurring proliferation and environmental perils in an already volatile era.

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