The North Korean Connection

In October of 2000, North Korea revealed that it had nuclear weapons. Despite years of sanctions by the United Nations, North Korea had somehow obtained these weapons. How? The answer is simple: Pakistan.

In July of 2002, American satellite photos revealed that a C-130 cargo plane made a sortie from Pakistan to North Korea. This plane delivered nuclear weapons on the journey to North Korea and returned with ballistic missile parts. Basically, while North Korea gave Pakistan missile parts Islamabad needs to build a nuclear arsenal, which can hit strategic sites in India, Pakistan provided North Korea with many of the designs for gas centrifuges and much of the machinery for making highly enriched uranium for Pyong Yang’s latest nuclear weapons project. The irony of the situation is that this same C-130 that had supplied one of America’s worst enemies with nuclear weapons was originally gifted to Pakistan by the United States to aid in the war against terror.

This was not the first time that the Pakistan-North Korea relationship has been seen. In 1999, the Indian Navy detained the “Ku-Wol-San”, a North Korean ship bound for Pakistan carrying missile parts and blue prints to build a ballistic missile manufacturing factory in Pakistan. Indian officials revealed that the ship contained vital components of Pyongyang's hi-tech Nodong I ballistic missile. In fact, Pakistan had tested the Ghauri missile, which was nothing less that the Nodong I under a new name. In order to counter, India’s indigenously developed missiles such as the Privthi and Agni, Pakistan continues to purchase missiles from North Korea and China.

The Chinese Connection

It is well known to US authorities that China has and continues to assist Pakistan in its nuclear weapon program. Arming Pakistan with nuclear weapons is ideal for China. It allows for Pakistan to counter India, China’s greatest economic and military threat in Asia.

Throughout the 1980’s Pakistan received pre-tested atomic bomb designs and enriched uranium from China. China's nuclear assistance predates the 1986 Sino-Pakistani atomic cooperation agreement, with some of the most critical transfers occurring from 1980 through 1985. China is reported to have provided Pakistan with the design of one of its warheads, as well as sufficient HEU for a few weapons. The 25-kiloton design was the one used in China's fourth nuclear test, which was an atmospheric test using a ballistic missile launch. This configuration is said to be a fairly sophisticated design, with each warhead weighing considerably less than the unwieldy, first-generation US and Soviet weapons which weighed several thousand kilograms. Pakistan Foreign Minister Yakub Khan was present at the Chinese Lop Nor test site to witness the test of a small nuclear device in May 1983, giving rise to speculation that a Pakistani-assembled device was detonated in this test. In 1987, China concluded a deal with Pakistan to sell M-11 missiles and launchers.

Pakistan’s nuclear program would be non-existent without China. In addition, it suspected that China clandestinely helped in the ballistic missile-nuclear weapon exchange between Pakistan and North Korea. The C-130 could not have made it to North Korea without refueling and it is widely suspected that it refueled in China.

Denial

Despite such clear relationships between Pakistan, North Korea and China, Pakistan continues to deny that it has received any help from these nations. As recently as late 2002, Pakistani General (President) Musharraf called such allegations “absolutely baseless”.

As a frontline “ally” in the war against terror, Pakistan is in fact helping working to the opposite end by proliferating nuclear technologies to dangerous communist regimes. One can only hope that the next recipient of these weapons is not an Islamic terrorist outfit.

Osama Connection?
In November of 2001, Pakistan detained and interrogated two nuclear scientists who had contacts with the Taliban and Al Qaeda, but neither had any knowledge or expertise that would have helped terrorists build or obtain a nuclear weapon. However, the scientists admitted to meeting Osama Bin Laden, but claimed they met in Afghanistan's southern city of Kandahar in connection with the construction of a flour mill. The close relationship between the Pakistani military and Al-Qaeda could easily lead to terrorists having nuclear weapons.

In fact, Pakistan does trust Islamic radicals with their weapons. In 1999, during a near war with India, Pakistan asked the Taliban if it could shift some of its nuclear arsenal to Afghanistan. "The Taliban accepted the requests with open arms," the official said, but the talks were exploratory and no missiles were ever moved across the border.

Links:

Guardian: Pakistan helped North Korea make bomb

CIA: North Korea tried to buy Nuclear Equipment in 2001

US Approach on Pakistan-North Korea Nuclear Collaboration

Chinese Proliferation sparks new arms race

Atomic Ties link North Korea, Pakistan

Nuclear Threat Initiative: Pakistan

BBC: Pakistan, the China Connection

Federation of American Scientists: Pakistan Nuclear Weapons

US: Pakistan gave Nuclear Technology to North Korea

Battling the Bribers: Illicit Pakistan-North Korean Nuclear Trade

US Knew about Pakistan North Korea Nuclear Deal