Washington: Pakis-tan’s atomic arsenal probably consists of between 90 to 110 nuclear war heads, a latest Cong-ressional report has said, informing the American lawmakers that Islamabad is interested in concluding a nuclear cooperation deal with the US, which would require their approval.
“Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal probably consists of approximately 90-110 nuclear warheads, although it could be larger,” said the report of the Congressional Research Service, an independent research wing of the US Congress.
“Islamabad is producing fissile material, adding to related production facilities, and deploying additional delivery vehicles.
These steps could enable Pakistan to undertake both quantitative and qualitative improvements to its nuclear arsenal,” the report said.
India currently has approximately 60-80 nuclear weapons, it said, referring to one public estimate. “Whether and to what extent Pakistan’s current expansion of its nuclear weapons-related facilities is a response to the 2008 US-India nuclear cooperation agreement is unclear. Islamabad does not have a public, detailed nuclear doctrine, but its ‘minimum credible deterrent’ is widely regarded as designed to dissuade India from taking military action against Pakistan,” it said. (PTI)
