ISLAMABAD: Pakistan commemorates the 27th anniversary of its sixth nuclear test, conducted in 1998 in the remote desert of Kharan. This test, carried out just two days after the five nuclear detonations in Chagai on May 28, was a strategic move to match and exceed India’s nuclear posturing and firmly establish Pakistan as the first nuclear power in the Muslim world.
According to global seismic monitoring centers, the Kharan detonation registered as the equivalent of two powerful nuclear explosions. In an exclusive discussion with Jang Group, Dr Samar Mubarakmand, head of the team behind the tests, revealed key insights into the planning, execution, and impact of this historic event.
The sixth nuclear test was more than just a continuation—it marked a turning point. The compact nuclear device tested in Kharan, now the warhead for Pakistan’s Shaheen-I missile, generated shockwaves felt in the Karakoram mountains within milliseconds. Some international analysts initially interpreted the seismic data as two simultaneous explosions.
Pakistan’s nuclear display was a monumental feat of scientific precision, ethics, and national discipline. Unlike India’s questionable and exaggerated Pokhran tests, Pakistan demonstrated credible and verifiable capability under the leadership of scientists like Dr. Samar Mubarakmand. Despite speculation about a second seismic wave at Kharan, Dr. Mubarakmand clarified it was a natural result of the shockwave from a single successful detonation.
With the successful completion of the sixth test, Pakistan emerged not just as a peer, but a superior nuclear power relative to India. The test altered the strategic landscape of South Asia and continues to influence the balance of power in the region.
In a detailed interview, senior journalist Hanif Khalid and Dr Mubarakmand delved into the legacy of the nuclear program—from its inception after the 1971 debacle to the triumphant tests of May 1998, and its critical role in the 2025 Indo-Pak war. The atomic energy program was launched with the intent of making Pakistan’s defense impregnable, leading to a decades-long journey of research and development.
Dr Mubarakmand recounted that on May 14, 1998, under the leadership of then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Defense Committee of the Cabinet approved a series of six nuclear tests in response to India’s five tests on May 11 and 13. While Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan’s team at Kahuta provided the enriched uranium, the technical leadership and test site preparation were overseen by Dr. Mubarakmand, who at the time served as Technical Member of PAEC and DG of the National Development Complex.
The discussion also addressed the events of the *May 2025 conflict*, in which India launched an aerial strike on Pakistan on the night of May 6–7, citing a terror incident at a tourist site in Kashmir. Pakistan responded with fewer than 40 fighter jets against India’s 77, downing six Indian aircraft including Rafales, Su-30s, MiG-29s, and Mirage 2000s. Advanced electronic jamming, missile systems, and airborne radars played a decisive role.
On May 8, India attempted an attack using Israeli drones, but Pakistan’s ground-based electronic defense systems neutralized 95% of them. On May 10, India targeted three Pakistani air bases with BrahMos cruise missiles and other guided weapons. In retaliation, Pakistan launched a massive counterstrike using Fatah-I and Fatah-II missiles right after Fajr prayers, destroying 26 Indian military targets including airbases, installations, terror training camps, and command centers.
In just two hours, Pakistan Air Force dropped more ordnance on India than in the entire 17-day 1965 war. Even India’s S-400 defense systems were overwhelmed. The severity of Pakistan’s response brought the region to the brink of nuclear war. Global observers warned India that Pakistan’s tactical nuclear missile force could deliver an immediate and devastating counterattack. Consequently, India sought U.S. mediation to broker a ceasefire, and the war ended swiftly on the morning of May 10.
Dr Mubarakmand concluded by emphasizing that since 1998, nuclear parity between Pakistan and India has served as a powerful deterrent against full-scale war. He warned that India must accept Pakistan’s reality as a nuclear power with advanced conventional capabilities. Should India engage in future misadventures or violate the Indus Waters Treaty, Pakistan is capable not only of reclaiming occupied Kashmir but also asserting control over the region’s water resources.