“If a nuclear weapon gets stolen...if fissile material is stolen...that could have catastrophic consequences. A stolen nuclear weapon could be detonated in principle anywhere in the world and the most likely would be either a city in India or a city in Pakistan. You might ask why in Pakistan? Its beyond comprehension. But then, also beyond comprehension is why a Muslim would blow himself up in a mosque (in Pakistan).”
Currently, the custodian of Pakistan's nuclear weapons is the Strategic Plans Division (SPD) of the Pakistan army which is made up of 12,000-15,000 soldiers headed by General Khalid Kidwai.
The SPD claims to have complete control over weapons by virtue of installing electronic locks, enhancing perimeter protection and having a Personnel Reliability Programme (PRP).
“Electronic locks are things that are installed and require keys. The keys are similar to how you protect your email and computer from predators,” explained Hoodbhoy.
“Permissive Actions Links, known as PALS, are devices that enable the nuclear weapon to explode if and when desired and only when they pass through strict environmental tests - environmental meaning that certain conditions have to be fulfilled.
"For example, if it is a bomb to be dropped from an aircraft, then it'll experience zero gravity for a while...or if it is a bomb installed for a missile, then that missile has to experience acceleration and so forth.”
He said one of the key features of the safety programme was the institution of the Personnel Reliability Programme, devised with the help and funding of the US.
“That entails asking prospective employees, which means soldiers and others involved with nuclear weapons, to pass a battery of tests.
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