Pakistan Modifying Its Missile, US Blamed

NEW YORK: The Obama administration has accused Pakistan of  illegally changing American-made missiles to expand its ability to attack ground targets, which would constitute a threat to India, a U.S. newspaper reported in its Sunday edition.

Quoting senior management and congressional officials, the paper said the charge was in late June through a diplomatic protest without advertising Yusuf Raza Gilani prime minister and other senior Pakistani officials.

A senior Pakistani official called the accusation “false”, saying that the missile tested was developed by Pakistan as it had modified the design of North Korea to build a series of ground-based missiles that could strike India, according the document.

U.S. Officials said the disputed weapon is a conventional one based on the Harpoon anti-ship missiles that were sold to Pakistan during the Reagan administration as a defensive weapon, the newspaper reported, but the charges come as the Obama administration is seeking congressional approval a $ 7.5 billion aid for Pakistan over the next five years.

The charge stems from the detection of U.S. intelligence agencies of a suspected missile test on April 23, which was never announced by Pakistani officials and that apparently give a new offensive weapon, the report said.

U.S. military and Pakistani intelligence officials suspected of modifying the Harpoon they sell in the 1980s, which would violate the Law on Control of Arms Exports.

Pakistan denied the accusations and said the missile was developed.

“The focus of our concern is that this is an unauthorized modification of a potential maritime anti-ship defensive to an offensive capacity of land-attack missile,” another senior administration official told the newspaper, speaking on condition of anonymity on information classified.

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Pakistan Modifying Its Missile, US Blamed was first posted on August 30, 2009 at 2:16 pm.
©2009 “Pakistan News“.

Suicide Blast In Mingora 15 Cops Killed

SWAT: A suicide bombing at a police station in Mingora here on Sunday, 15 police men have so far been killed and has imposed a curfew in the city.

The bomb exploded in the camp in the police station where the police were going through a training session.

According to reports, a suicide bomber came to training camp and blew himself up among police trainees.

Dozens of police were injured and were being taken to Saidu Sharif hospital.

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Suicide Blast In Mingora 15 Cops Killed was first posted on August 30, 2009 at 1:31 pm.
©2009 “Pakistan News“.

SC’s 31st July Verdict, Review Petition Filed

ISLAMABAD: Five Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) judges on Sunday filed a petition for review in the Supreme Court against the sentence on 31st July.

The petition was filed by four justices of the Order of the Lahore High Court and a judge of the Peshawar High Court.

Those presenting the application includes Justice Zafar Iqbal, Justice Akram Qureshi and Justice Justice Zulfiqar Ashraf of Lahore High Court and Justice Jahanzaib Peshawar High Court.

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SC’s 31st July Verdict, Review Petition Filed was first posted on August 31, 2009 at 10:49 am.
©2009 “Pakistan News“.

Indian Nuclear Tests Were Unsuccessful: Nuk Pandits

NEW DELHI: K Santhanam, who was the director for 1998 test site preparations by India in Pokhran test range, has disclosed that the thermonuclear explosions conducted at that time were ‘actually of much below expectations and the tests were perhaps more a fizzle rather than a big bang’.

In a recent interview with the Times of India, the nuclear scientist said the yield for the thermonuclear test, or hydrogen bomb in popular usage, was much lower than what was claimed and stressed the need to conduct more tests to improve its nuclear weapon programme.

In nuclear parlance, a test is described as a fizzle when it fails to meet the desired yield. India had claimed at time that test yielded 45 kilotons (KT) but this claim was challenged by western experts who said it was not more than 20 KT, the paper said in its comment.

Security expert Bharat Karnad told ToI that Santhanam’s admission is remarkable because this is the first time a nuclear scientist and one closely associated with the 1998 tests has disavowed the government line.

“This means the government has to do something. Either you don’t have a thermonuclear deterrent or prove that you have it, if you claim to have it,” said Karnad.

Indian scientists had claimed after the test that the thermonuclear device gave a total yield of 45 KT, 15 KT from the fission trigger and 30 KT from the fusion process and that the theoretical yield of the device (200KT) was reduced to 45 KT in order to minimise seismic damage to villages near the test range.

British experts, however, later challenged the claims, saying the actual combined yield for the fission device and thermonuclear bomb was not more than 20 KT. Santhanam’s view was shared by nuclear scientist Subramaniam, who said “there was something wrong with the seismic signals which seemed pretty weak to me then… so I would tend to agree with Santhanam”.

India conducted five nuclear tests at the Pokhran test range. Three of them were conducted on May 11 and two on May 13, 1998.

Meanwhile, the Indian Defence Ministry, while rejecting the claim of the nuclear scientist, said India had a meaningful number of nuclear weapons and an effective delivery system to go with it.

Brajesh Mishra, National Security Adviser in the Vajpayee government, also rejected the view of the scientist.

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Indian Nuclear Tests Were Unsuccessful: Nuk Pandits was first posted on August 31, 2009 at 10:59 am.
©2009 “Pakistan News“.

India Nuke Test 1998 Far From Success: Scientist

NEW DELHI: The 1998 Pokhran II nuclear tests might have been far from the success they have been claimed to be. The yield of the thermonuclear explosions was actually much below expectations and the tests were perhaps more a fizzle rather than a big bang.

The controversy over the yield of the tests, previously questioned by foreign agencies, has been given a fresh lease of life with K Santhanam, senior scientist and DRDO representative at Pokhran II, admitting for the first time that the only thermonuclear device tested was a “fizzle”. In nuclear parlance, a test is described as a fizzle when it fails to meet the desired yield.

Santhanam, who was director for 1998 test site preparations, told TOI on Monday that the yield for the thermonuclear test, or hydrogen bomb in popular usage, was much lower than what was claimed. Santhanam, who was DRDO’s chief advisor, could well have opened up the debate on whether or not India should sign CTBT as claims that India has all the data required and can manage with simulations is bound to be called into question.

“Based upon the seismic measurements and expert opinion from world over, it is clear that the yield in the thermonuclear device test was much lower than what was claimed. I think it is well documented and that is why I assert that India should not rush into signing the CTBT,” Santhanam told TOI on Wednesday.

He emphasised the need for India to conduct more tests to improve its nuclear weapon programme.

The test was said to have yielded 45 kilotons (KT) but was challenged by western experts who said it was not more than 20 KT.

The exact yield of the thermonuclear explosion is important as during the heated debate on the India- US nuclear deal, it was strenuously argued by the government’s top scientists that no more tests were required for the weapons programme. It was said the disincentives the nuclear deal imposed on testing would not really matter as further tests were not required.

According to security expert Bharat Karnad, Santhanam’s admission is remarkable because this is the first time a nuclear scientist and one closely associated with the 1998 tests has disavowed the government line. “He is not just saying that India should not sign the CTBT, which I believe is completely against India’s interests, but also that the 1998 thermonuclear device test was inadequate.

His saying this means that the government has to do something. Either you don’t have a thermonuclear deterrent or prove that you have it, if you claim to have it, said Karnad.

Sources said that Santhanam had admitted that the test was a fizzle during a discussion on CTBT organised by IDSA. Karnad also participated in the seminar. He told TOI that no country has succeeded in achieving targets with only its first test of a thermonuclear device.

“Two things are clear; that India should not sign CTBT and that it needs more thermonuclear device tests,” said Santhanam.

The yield of the thermonuclear device test in 1998 has led to much debate and while western experts have stated that it was not as claimed, BARC has maintained that it stands by its assessment. Indian scientists had claimed after the test that the thermonuclear device gave a total yield of 45 KT, 15 KT from the fission trigger and 30 KT from the fusion process and that the theoretical yield of the device (200 KT) was reduced to 45 KT in order to minimise seismic damage to villages near the test range.

British experts, however, later challenged the claims saying that the actual combined yield for the fission device and thermonuclear bomb was not more than 20 KT.

Key Pokharan scientist R Chidambaram had described these reports as incorrect. He has also argued that computer simulations would be enough in future design.

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India Nuke Test 1998 Far From Success: Scientist was first posted on August 27, 2009 at 11:44 am.