Pakistan Tries to Illegally Acquire Nukes

The report by the German state of Baden-Wurttemberg states that Germany is an important area of operation for Iran, Pakistan, North Korea and Syria for securing relevant know-how through illegal procurement from the country

The German state government has lambasted Pakistan for its proliferation record of nuclear weapons. Expressing its concern over the same, a report by the German state of Baden-Wurttemberg highlights that Pakistan continues to engage in the production and proliferation of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons of mass destruction.

It further enunciates that the country is also trying to secure relevant know-how through illegal procurement from Germany.

The report, which chronicles annual key developments on proliferation was released on June 16, 2020.

“Iran, Pakistan, North Korea and Syria are still pursuing such efforts. They aim to complete existing arsenals, perfect the range, deployability and effectiveness of their weapons and develop new weapons systems. They are trying to obtain the necessary products and relevant no-how, inter alia, through illegal procurement efforts in Germany,” according to the annual report of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution for Baden-Wuttemberg.

Pakistan has been subject to a lot of scrutiny for its nuclear proliferation record. In 2004, the country’s nuclear architect AQ Khan admitted to being a party in global proliferation, including providing designs to countries like North Korea.

The report added that Pakistan’s nuclear programme is directed against its sworn enemy India.

It underlined that to bypass existing export curbs and embargoes, the countries referred to in the report, have created new procurement ways and means.

Under these approaches, they can acquire goods in Germany and Europe with the help of “cover companies and, in particular, transport dual-use goods to risk states. Typical bypass countries include the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and China.”

The report further explains how “production and proliferation” of weapons of mass destruction pose a “serious threat to peace and international security” and the establishments need to set goals for preventing risk states from building and developing weapons of mass destruction and corresponding carrier systems.

“In order to minimize risks, the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution sensitises those responsible there to make them aware of the danger and possible consequences of illegal knowledge transfer,” the document underscores.

Potential proliferation sources of know-how, according to the report, comprise universities, non-university research institutions, and research and training departments of companies.