PAKISTAN: ISLAMABAD: TEAM BEHIND NUCLEAR TESTS GREETED AS HEROES

(31 May 1998) English/Nat

The scientific team behind Pakistan's nuclear bomb programme returned to a heroes welcome in Islamabad on Sunday.

Hundreds greeted them at Islamabad airport, showering them with rose petals, dancing around their cars and waving placards congratulating Pakistan on its detonation of six nuclear devices.

The nuclear explosions, conducted on Thursday and again on Saturday, were seen as a tit-for-tat reply to five nuclear explosions by India more than two weeks ago.

The plane carrying the scientists who masterminded Pakistan's series of nuclear tests returned from the test site in a remote desert region to a hero's welcome in Islamabad on Sunday.

At the airport to greet them was Dr Ashfaq Ahmad, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission.

The first to leave the plane was Dr. Samar Mubarak, Chief of Nuclear Test Operations, who was immediately decked with garlands of flowers.

Hundreds of people greeted the scientists, showering them with rose petals and waving placards congratulating Pakistan on its detonation of six nuclear devices.

These men on Sunday received a victorious welcome.

And Abdul Qadeer Khan, the architect of Pakistan's nuclear programme has also achieved hero status as the father of the country's nuclear bomb.

Pakistan has boasted that its nuclear and missile technology has surpassed its hostile neighbour India.

The detonation of five nuclear devices by India more than two weeks ago has raised the possibility of a nuclear arms race in the Asian subcontinent.

On Thursday and again on Saturday, Pakistan one upped its neighbour and exploded six devices.

Before its first set of tests last Thursday, Pakistan deployed its medium-range Ghauri missile around the testing site in the Chagai Hills of southwestern Baluchistan province, fearing an attack by India on its nuclear installations.

But Pakistan said that when Saturday's test was completed the missiles were pulled back and returned to storage.

Khan says Pakistan has already embarked on serial production of the Ghauri missile, which has a range of roughly 1-thousand-500 kilometres (900 miles).

One of the reasons for conducting the six nuclear tests, Khan says, was to determine whether the nuclear devices Pakistan had in its arsenal were compatible with its Ghauri missile.

The tests revealed that the nuclear weapons are compatible with the medium range missiles.

The daughter of Dr. Samar Mubarak says she is proud of her father and all his efforts.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I am very very happy and I am very proud of my father and his team. May god bless them."
SUPER CAPTION: Daughter of Dr. Samar Mubarak (Mubarak is Chief of nuclear test operations

India's nuclear explosions effectively launched the volatile South Asian subcontinent on a possible race to build nuclear weapons and delivery systems.

Pakistan's Foreign Secretary said other nations had to adjust to a new reality - one in which both India and Pakistan have the capacity to launch nuclear weapons.

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