AI Generated Summary
- The assertion was made during an interview with a prominent American news channel and comes at a time when the United States is weighing the resumption of nuclear testing after a 30-year hiatus.
- The remarks have raised alarm, particularly because Pakistan has not officially conducted a nuclear test since 1998, when it carried out a series of detonations in response to India’s Pokhran-II tests.
- According to him, economic pressure and threats of cutting trade ties were instrumental in averting what he described as a “bad war” that could have resulted in “many millions” of deaths.
In a startling claim likely to reverberate through global diplomatic and security circles, U.S. President Donald Trump has accused Pakistan of clandestinely conducting nuclear tests, placing it alongside nations such as Russia, China, and North Korea. The assertion was made during an interview with a prominent American news channel and comes at a time when the United States is weighing the resumption of nuclear testing after a 30-year hiatus.
President Trump alleged that while the United States has publicly halted nuclear testing, other countries have continued such activities in secret, accusing them of exploiting the U.S.’s self-imposed testing moratorium. “Russia’s testing and China’s testing, but they don’t talk about it,” he said in the interview. “They test, and we don’t test. We have to test.” Naming Pakistan specifically, Trump suggested the country was conducting tests “way underground” to evade international detection and scrutiny.
The remarks have raised alarm, particularly because Pakistan has not officially conducted a nuclear test since 1998, when it carried out a series of detonations in response to India’s Pokhran-II tests. Reports of covert testing, if substantiated, would mark a serious breach of international norms and could undermine decades of nuclear disarmament efforts.
China, one of the nations accused by Trump, has swiftly dismissed the allegations, reiterating its commitment to a moratorium on nuclear testing and upholding international treaties. “We stand ready to work with all parties to safeguard the international nuclear disarmament regime,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, while urging the United States to do the same.
Experts say Trump’s claim about Pakistan is particularly significant given its fragile geopolitical context and the country’s previous nuclear posture. Strategic analysts suggest that such accusations could prompt calls for verification from global watchdogs like the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). As of yet, no verifiable evidence has emerged to support the claim of recent Pakistani tests.
Trump also reignited memories of past India-Pakistan tensions during the same interview, once again asserting that he had intervened to prevent a full-scale nuclear conflict between the two neighbours. According to him, economic pressure and threats of cutting trade ties were instrumental in averting what he described as a “bad war” that could have resulted in “many millions” of deaths.
While the U.S. leader’s bold assertions continue to dominate headlines, world capitals are reacting cautiously. India, a stakeholder in any nuclear discussion involving Pakistan, has yet to issue any official response. Meanwhile, analysts warn that any U.S. move to resume nuclear testing could unravel longstanding arms control agreements, potentially sparking a new global arms race.
For now, Trump’s allegations remain exactly that—allegations. But in a world where nuclear tensions linger beneath the surface, even unverified claims have the power to inflame rivalries and unsettle fragile balances of power. As observers await official clarifications and investigations, the global community finds itself once again reminded of the delicate dance of deterrence and diplomacy that defines the nuclear age.
