Nations, like people, often reflect behavioral patterns. They have a reputation, exhibit habitual traits, and usually find the essence of their identity in their nature. Same is the case with Pakistan – a country that finds itself on the wrong side of history because of its conduct – with friends and enemies alike.
The latest in a series of actions by a country caught in a worrying mix of terrorism, poverty, inflation, rigged elections, civil unrest, political instability and economic malaise has come as “all-weather ally” China has tried to lash out. As anyone can correctly guess – it did not end well, with Islamabad being humiliated once again.
Pakistan’s ‘take or leave’ strategy with China!
Recently a high level meeting was held between senior government and military officials of Pakistan and China. The future use of the strategic port of Gwadar in Balochistan in line with the so-called ‘China-Pakistan Economic Corridor’ was being discussed and negotiated. At this point, Pakistan, which had perhaps momentarily forgotten which side of the negotiating table it was sitting on, decided to show its strength.
Islamabad reportedly told Beijing that if it wants a military base in Gwadar, Pakistan can allow it only if Beijing is willing to equip it with a second-lethal nuclear capability – to match New Delhi. Fulfilling his age-old passion, he achieved this. its own. This tone, highlighting the extent of the threat, did not go down well with Beijing, which rejected the humiliating demand and decided to indefinitely put off future talks over Islamabad’s shocking audacity.
The breakdown of diplomatic and military talks with China, even for a moment, is not a good sign for Pakistan as cash-strapped Islamabad is largely dependent on Beijing’s economic bail-out package. China has, for a long time, been a protector of Pakistan’s military, supplying it with most of its arms and ammunition. Pakistan’s military, which has a history of interfering in decisions taken by its civilian government, is currently facing a crisis with widespread anger and protests across the country over election rigging and the imprisonment of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. In such a situation, it cannot afford to upset Beijing. Current situation at the ground level.
According to a report by Drop Site News, Pak-China relations are apparently in decline due to “public and private disputes over security concerns as well as China’s demand to build a military base inside Pakistan”. Earlier this year, the news website had reported advanced talks on setting up a Chinese military base in Gwadar. According to classified Pakistani military documents seen by the news website, Islamabad had given “personal assurances” to Beijing that it would be “allowed to convert Gwadar into a permanent base for the Chinese military”.
Going back on its assurances, Pakistan is now making massive demands in return for the strategic port. Islamabad has asked Beijing to meet all its demands – military, economic and others – to avoid Western-led protests over handing over the port to China. But its demand for the nuclear triad and second strike nuclear capability is beyond even Beijing’s consideration.
If China violates the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty or NPT by providing such advanced nuclear weapons capability or technology to a non-NPT signatory, it will face massive sanctions and isolation across the world. As a signatory to the treaty, China is a classified nuclear-weapon state, or NWS. The treaty explicitly prohibits all NWS countries from transferring any nuclear or nuclear weapons, technology or material to any non-NWS nation.
With such demands, Pakistan is asking China to put itself at risk so that Islamabad can fulfill its obsession of countering New Delhi.
Beijing is also seething with anger after Islamabad did not allow the Chinese Navy to make port of call at Gwadar port during the joint naval Sea Guardians III exercise between the two countries. Pakistan did this following pressure from the United States over American sensitivities regarding Chinese military presence at the strategically important port.
What is second strike nuclear capability?
Second-strike nuclear capability is the greatest deterrent that any nuclear-weapon state can aim for or aspire to. It is the most valuable form of military deterrence for any country. This means that a country that has faced a conventional or nuclear attack from an enemy country still has the ability to retaliate with its nuclear weapons.
This is generally supported by the nuclear triad – meaning that a country has the capability to launch its nuclear weapons by all three means: surface, air and sub-surface. Surface missiles and the vehicles carrying them i.e. on land or from land (silos) as well as at sea (from warships). Airborne means firing a nuclear missile from an aircraft, and sub-surface means firing a nuclear missile from under the ground or under the sea (submarine). The SLBM gives the country the option to retaliate even if its mainland is seriously attacked.
The second strike capability greatly increases the risk of an enemy first strike, as it would result in a devastating attack on that enemy country.
