In
July, a U.S. television station reports that Pakistan has tested
U.S.-made krytron electric triggers in conventional explosions.
Krytron triggers can be used in the detonation of nuclear devices.
1986
U.S.
intelligence agencies allege that Pakistan is producing highly
enriched uranium, which may be used in nuclear weapons.
In
June, Khan announces that Pakistan has a program to manufacture an
indigenous nuclear reactor.
On
15 September, Pakistan and China sign an agreement on the peaceful use
of nuclear energy. This agreement includes the design, construction,
and operation of nuclear power reactors.
In
September, Pakistan conducts "cold tests" of a nuclear
implosion device at Chagai.
1987
Pakistan
acquires a tritium purification and production facility from West
Germany. The plant can produce up to 10g of tritium daily. Tritium can
be used to produce a thermonuclear device.
1989
A
27kW research reactor (PARR-2) is built at Rawalpindi with Chinese
assistance.
Western
intelligence sources indicate that China is arranging for Pakistan to
test its nuclear device at China's Lop Nur nuclear test site.
1990s
China
reportedly provides assistance for the construction of the Chashma
plutonium reprocessing facility.
1990
In
June, the Indian government leaks information that China has rejected
Pakistan's request to use the Lop Nor nuclear weapons test site.
1991
In
September, Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto said that Pakistan could
"rapidly produce" a nuclear weapon in the event of a serious
threat.
1992
In
February, Pakistani Foreign Secretary Shahryar Khan confirmed that
Pakistan has the components necessary to construct at least one
nuclear weapon.
1993
The
China National Nuclear Corporation begins work on a 300MW
pressurized-water reactor at Chasma. Work is expected to be completed
in late 1997, and the facility is expected to be commissioned in
October 1998.
A
report by The Stockholm International Peace and Research Institute
(SIPRI) says that approximately 14,000 uranium-enrichment centrifuges
have been installed at Kahuta.
German
customs officials seize approximately 1,000 gas centrifuges bound for
Pakistan.
1994
Former
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif says Pakistan has a nuclear bomb.
1996
February
9 - Pakistan denies charges that it bought 5,000 ring magnets from
China to be used in gas centrifuges for uranium enrichment.
Pakistan
expects to complete its unsafeguarded 40MW heavy-water reactor at
Khushab. U.S. officials believe that the reactor is being built with
Chinese assistance.
1998
May
12 - Pakistani President Muhammad Rafiq Tarar said that Pakistan has
the capability to counter India's threats. Tarar said, "the
proper reaction will come at some time".
Pakistani
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that the government would take
"any step necessary to protect the national security" of
Pakistan.
May
14 - U.S. spy satellites detected activity in the Chagai Hills,
Pakistan's nuclear test site. Military equipment and technical
personnel have been detected making preparations at the test site.
Foreign
intelligence agents in Pakistan said that Pakistan could choose to
test immediately for maximum political effect, or to wait a week to
attain more technical data.
May
17 - Pakistani Foreign Minister Gohar Ayub Khan said, "it's a
matter of when, not if, Pakistan will test."
The
Pakistani newspaper "The Jang" reported that preparations
for a test at Chagai have been finished, and Pakistan "can test
within three hours."
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Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
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May
19 - The Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) said
that Pakistan has enough uranium for about 10 weapons, which includes
210kg of weapons-grade uranium it has had since 1991 when it froze
uranium production at the Kahuta research facility.
A
Pakistani embassy official said China did not dissuade Pakistan from
conducting its own nuclear test and "there was a complete
identity of views between Pakistan and China on the gravity of the
situation, which has resulted from India's reckless behavior."
May
21 - Zamir Akram, a senior Pakistani diplomat, said that Pakistan
would like to see how the United States addresses its security
concerns and "if this means releasing our F-16s, I'm sorry, but
they are trying to bribe us with something that belongs to us."
May
27 - Pakistani workers placed a nuclear device in a shaft and encased
it in cement. This process, referred to as "stemming", makes
it difficult to retrieve the device without detonating it.
Pakistani
Foreign Minister Gohar Ayub said, "nothing whatsoever was keeping
Pakistan from proceeding with a test, and that it was not a case of if
Pakistan would conduct a test but when".
May
28 - A Pakistani Foreign Ministry statement said that it had received
information that India was planning a preemptive strike against
Pakistan's nuclear sites.
Sharif
reported that Pakistan conducted five nuclear tests and had
"settled the score with India."
Sharif
reported that Pakistan would weaponize its intermediate-range
ballistic missile Ghauri with nuclear warheads.
Sharif
chastised the international communities' response to India's nuclear
tests and said, "Pakistan was left with no choice but to detonate
its own nuclear devices."
Official
sources in Islamabad suggest that the five tests carried out by
Pakistan were fission devices. Three devices tested had yields in the
sub-kiloton (KT) range and the other two larger explosions had yields
of 25KT and 12KT.
Pakistan
reported that it could "follow up" its nuclear tests in the
next 24 hours at Chagai.
May
29 - Pakistani Foreign Minister Gohar Ayub Khan said in an interview
with the Associated Press that Pakistan is now a nuclear weapons
state.
Foreign
Ministry Secretary Shamshad Ahmad said that Pakistan’s nuclear
weapons capability was meant solely for national self-defense.
“It
will never be used for offensive purposes,” he said in a prepared
statement.
May
30 - foreign minister Khan announced that Pakistan had conducted a
sixth nuclear test in the Chagai Hills underground test site.
The
test occurred on May 30, 1998.
