Pakistan’s nukes could be hijacked by radicals: Hoodbhoy

By
Asad Nizami
-
67
281

Pakistani nuclear physicist Pervez Hoodbhoy in a statement said that Increasing radicalisation within Pakistan’s military could lead to its nuclear weapons being hijacked by radicals.

Indian media quoted Hoodbhoy, who was in London for the launch of his book ‘Confronting the Bomb’. Hoodbhoy said that the Safety and security of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal is a major concern. The growing radicalisation within the military, keeping in mind the attacks on its own internal bases could lead to these nuclear weapons being hijacked by radical Islamists.

He estimated Pakistan’s arsenal to be similar to India’s, at around 120-130 warheads.

He was answering questions from members of the Indian Journalists’ Association at the Indali Lounge last evening.

He added that earlier, such weapons were seen as just a means of deterrence and the most dangerous development is the increasing search for fissile material as a new dimension of tactical nuclear war has entered the picture. This in turn would mean that the number of weapons Pakistan possesses will steadily increase.

Hoodbhoy, who received his PhD in nuclear physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), stressed that the issue needs to be addressed for the sake of sub-continental as well as global security.

He added that India and Pakistan have come close to nuclear war at least five times in 1987, 1990, during Kargil (1999), after the attack on the Indian Parliament (2001) and the Mumbai attacks in 2008.

Hoodhboy further said that given the history of nuclear tension the countries can’t afford to be passive on this issue. The fallout, from the blast itself to the radioactive effects, will be felt not just in the sub-continent but around the world.

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67 COMMENTS

    • Have you been sleeping? He has been singing the same "pak nukes danger to world — please someone destroy them" song for YEARS! Look at his books and articles….that is all he has been talking about….

    • Less than you first cousin f k ing re tart ed bearded m u llahs and army officers (note: all the respect for the jawans who risk their lives every day to protect us)

  8. Hoodbhoy is perfectly right. Its a great danger. Be realistic. Hoodbhoy is a great scientist himself. He better understands these things then many who go by their emotions Nukes are great threat not only to Pakistan but to others also. It is for this reason that no one is friendly with Pakistan in the whole world. Every Pakistani, educated or ignorant, is considered a terrorist. So please try to analyze and understand. Because of our politics of emotions we have not ptogressed in 66 years.

  10. Can you spell T-R-E-A-S-0-N, Professor?

    How about TRAITOR?

    I bet your US/UK Passport and generous 'research grant' are in the post.

  13. Don't blame this TRAITOR/P.I.G. guys! He is just singing the same old song for ages….he is a one-bark doggie wangging his tail just 'cause massa asked him to yelp!

    I was almost waiting for this having read this headline recently:
    ‘Pakistan’s nukes face threat from army insiders’
    On edit: This site keeps removing my coded links for some reason so here it is: http://stratrisks.com/geostrat/10473

    So this sudden change ("talibans threaten nukes" to "radicalisation within Pakistan's military could lead to its nuclear weapons being hijacked" was GUARANTEED to be echoed by this bozo fake "nuke" "scientist"!!!!

    I am surprised it took this sicko over a week to issue "his" statement — maybe the cheque got stuck in the clearing house!!!

  15. It does make sense where is says "Increasing radicalisation within Pakistan's military could lead to its nuclear weapons being hijacked by radicals" – this statement should be ignored by showing emotions as most of us are generally good at it.

  16. It does make sense where is says "Increasing radicalisation within Pakistan's military could lead to its nuclear weapons being hijacked by radicals" – this statement should NOT be ignored by showing emotions as most of us are generally good at it.

  19. Hoodbhoy seems to be ignorant about how states liberal or radical ensure the security of what the possess. Why he closes eyes when peace activists storms a weapons' facility in the US (Y-12 incident) or when resposible Indian leader confirm surge in hindu extremism. But perhaps he has to dance to the tunes of his pay master. I would have been convinced if he had corroborated his opinion with a comparative data and yes on the nos of Pakistan nuclear weapons, world reknowned think tanks put the figure less than what Hoodbhoy contends.

  20. yes ….we know….pakistan nukes can go to taliban's hand……but still it keeps on making nuclear arms…..fools

  21. Professor Hoodbhoy has done his best to see South East Asia free from the risk of a nuclear holocaust, people who criticize him show their ignorance on this issue. It is our character to call anyone a traitor who has a different point of view than ours. As long as we do not free ourselves from this obsession there is just no future for us as a nation. I would love to read an article against what Hoodbhoy has said but calling a true patriot an agent is the height of stupidity.

  22. We will shrink them to the size of a bic lighter so the poor taliban wont know what it is? Put that in your har and chew it profs saab

  26. I don’t know on what grounds are we condemning Mr Hoodboy? Keeping in mind the relation of our military with extremist outfits, it is quite possible that what he says might be true. These fanatics have infiltrated much in our military and their sympathizers all present who can misuse the nukes and even can hand them over to these fanatics.

  30. O, Shutt Up, You Bas***d.
    I do not understand why these people live in the country, they hate from the core of their heart.

  35. An author publishes a book and want to make it best seller, what he will do???? Simply, pass on a controversial statement and people will buy the book to verify the statement. These are cheap publicity stunt nothing more, because radical Islamist is nothing new, we are the nation of radical Islamist, I wonder how Mr. Pervez interpret this

  36. Hoodbhoy is perfectly right. Its a great danger. Be realistic. Hoodbhoy is a great scientist himself. He better understands these things then many who go by their emotions Nukes are great threat not only to Pakistan but to others also. It is for this reason that no one is friendly with Pakistan in the whole world. Every Pakistani, educated or ignorant, is considered a terrorist. So please try to analyze and understand. Because of our politics of emotions we have not ptogressed in 66 years.

  37. People like this prfessor are always jumping up and down about Pak nuks. Why don't they talk about Indian nukes where extemist parties are in power in four provinces and once they were in power in the center when they did nuke tests in 90's.

  38. "Pakistan’s nukes could be hijacked by radicals: Hoodbhoy!"

    Not news! Pak nukes are already in the hands of paki army and isi, which are full of bearded fanatics

  39. Disgraceful Mr. Hoodboy, who is paying you to say this or have you lost patriotism and sense of balance in your efforts to suck up to your masters. pakistani nukes are not in assembled form and cannot be stoled, they are secure and it would require several experienced scietists to put them together. So stop blabbering and stop damaging your own country.

    • What is patriotism ????lying ???? thats why you p0rkis are hated everywhere. Osama was sitting in backyard of your military and making babies there you didn't loose your patriotism ?????

  42. Statement by Hoodboy that "Increasing radicalisation within Pakistan's military could lead to its nuclear weapons being hijacked by radicals" is self contradictory. Radicalization in Army would not result in meekly handing over weapons to Mujahideen. Rather they would prefer to diversify nuclear assets into Muslim states according to their needs. There is more likelihood of Indian nukes falling into the hands of nexalites, which Manmohan treats as the most dangerous movement of the oppressed and depressed in India.

  45. ppl calling him a scientist …lol
    can u plz tell me
    wat r his contributions for science ?
    has he invented somethng for betterment of humans?
    wat has he done for pak??

  49. I'm amazed at the reaction of the readers of this newspaper. Now there is no hope for this country for sure.

  51. It is a sure fact that in Neculear war there is no winner. The victor is also a victim. So if Mr. Hoodboy 's ridiculous assumption has any remote possibility even then no terrorist would be as triger happy as the GREATEST TERRORIST of the world -America- to be as insane to use it. m bhatti

  52. Really, but anyone how does a nuke blast. If some one get a nuke then can he blast just like fireworks or like a patakha……"maro patakhkey zamin per aur phat jaega…." is that very simple to do that, as per many scientist as well as Mr. Abdul Qadir, you need lot of things to blast a nuke…….so what is mr. hood saying is rabbish then nothing and gain a cheap publicity.
    after 9/11 it could be more dangerous to US then Pakistan,

  53. Mr Hoodbouy should name the radicals in the armed forces of Pakistan! Provided he has the guts/ moral courage to name a few. Perhaps come with plan/s to keep the nuclear assets safe, most likely in the freezer of his home LOL .

  54. i think we must do whatever it takes to defend our country let people sy what they want to say and everyone knows against whom one can open his mouth let him differ with americans or any western country and we shall see that how he manages to live their if americans used tactical nuclear bombs in tora bora where was hoodboy then and why he didnt leave america on that plea if in future any nuclear device gets in the hands of criminals it will be through americans and not pakistan and lets not forget france has a long history of nuclear poliferation

  56. Hahhaha So many poorly educated and home-cooked patriotism eaters rattled that they are again and again posting similar comments….
    Pakistan's stole and semi-baked nukes to blackmail the civilized world…but it will burn in the fire that it is setting up for others…..they wanted to break India ………..while they broke in 1971…and next is Balochistan…

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