The federal government of Pakistan has declared a public holiday on May 28, known as Youm-e-Takbeer, to commemorate the country’s historic nuclear tests.
Pakistan conducted tests on May 28, 1998, marking it as the seventh nation globally to possess nuclear weapons and the first within the Muslim community.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif remarked that Youm-e-Takbeer serves as a reminder of the nation’s unity and resolve to bolster national defence to an invincible level. The day is celebrated to honour the Chagai-I and Chagai-II series of tests which established Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities.
Youm-e-Takbeer is a day of fervent national pride, reflecting on the significant strides made in defence. It commemorates the moment Pakistan became a nuclear power, ensuring a strategic balance in the region and enhancing its deterrence capacity for peaceful purposes.
The decision to become a nuclear-capable state was driven by the visionary leadership of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who famously asserted the nation’s commitment to achieving nuclear power status, even at great sacrifice. Under the administration of then-Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan conducted these tests despite considerable international pressure, thereby altering the strategic dynamics in favour of regional peace and stability.
