Yom-i-Takbeer is celebrated today in the memory of nuclear tests carried out by Pakistan in 1998, reports the state of state Pakistan radio. The government has declared a holiday on the occasion.
On May 28 it is observed that Yom-i-Takbeer will commemorate the historic day in 1998 when Pakistan joined the ranks of nuclear powers after the atomic tests in the hills of Chagai, Baluchistan. Pakistan became the seventh nuclear nation of the world and the first Muslim state to have a nuclear arsenal.
A team of Pakistani scientists led by the founder of the Pakistan nuclear program, Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, and Dr. Samar Mubarakmand performed nuclear tests in the Hills of Raskoh in the district of Chagai de Baluchistan. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif decided to test nuclear weapons in response to Indian nuclear tests.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif renewed his promise to defend and safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, he reported Pakistan radio.
In his message on the occasion, President Zardari said that Pakistan’s nuclear capacity continues to serve as a minimum credible deterrent that guarantees peace and ensures that no one can undermine our sovereignty and national security.
Zardari said that Pakistan does not seek conflicts and is committed to the principles of peaceful coexistence and respect for international law. He added that Pakistan demonstrated his strategic patience and his commitment to peace in the face of the recent unpaved Indian aggression.
In his separate message, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised Pakistan’s nuclear trip and requested a renewed unity and determination to transform the country into an economic power.
Prime Minister Shehbaz linked this year’s commemoration with Pakistan’s recent success by defending against an unjustified war imposed by India. He urged the nation to bring the spirit of Yom-i-Takbeer beyond defense and economic transformation.
The armed forces of Pakistan, together with the president of the Joint Committee of the personnel leaders and the Heads of Services, extended the sincere delights to the nation in the 27th anniversary of Yom-i-Takbeer.
According to a statement of public relations between services (ISPR), Yom-i-Takbeer commemorates the transcendental occasion in 1998 when Pakistan emerged as nuclear energy, restoring the strategic balance in southern Asia and affirming his sovereign right to self-defense.
The statement said that this historical achievement personifies the resolution, unity and unwavering of the nation of a dignified and peaceful existence.
“Pakistan’s strategic capacity is a national trust, which reflects the collective aspirations of its people. The commemoration of Yom-E-Takbeer is a tribute to the forecast of visionary leadership, the brilliance of our scientists and engineers, and the innumerable contributions of all those who gave the defense of unwavering Pakistan,” he added.
“Let this day renew our collective promise to remain attentive, united and resolved in our commitment to the security, progress and prosperity of our beloved homeland.”
