Shyam Bhatia, an award-winning author and seasoned war correspondent based in London, has penned several notable works including “India’s Nuclear Bomb,” “Brighter than the Baghdad Sun,” and a biography of Benazir Bhutto titled “Goodbye Shahzadi.” With tensions escalating once again along the India-Pakistan border, Bhutto’s poignant reflections on nuclear warfare from a 2003 conversation in Dubai resonate with alarming clarity.
During our discussion, which took place while she was in exile with her children, Bhutto’s insights conveyed the dire implications of nuclear conflict. Our long-standing friendship, rooted in our student days at Oxford University, allowed for a level of frankness often absent from formal political interviews. Her words, shared quietly and without prior publication, serve as a haunting reminder of the stakes involved in nuclear deterrence.
“For God’s sake, never have I ever for a moment woken up with such a thought,” she said. “Because I know that nuking India — even if I was mad enough to think that — would end up with nuking my own people. And this is something I don’t understand — how this is a deterrent.”
As India and Pakistan find themselves once again on the brink of war, Bhutto’s insights remain alarmingly relevant. They highlight the precarious balance of power, particularly when deterrence transforms into doctrine and begins to unravel amidst heightened emotions and hostilities.
The exchange of secrets: A glimpse into Pakistan’s nuclear ambitions
Furthermore, Bhutto revealed her involvement in a clandestine exchange with North Korea, aimed at bolstering Pakistan’s missile capabilities during a period of technological setbacks. She recounted her covert role in transporting sensitive nuclear data on uranium enrichment, concealed within the depths of her overcoat.
In return, North Korea provided Pakistan with disassembled components of a NoDong missile, which she subsequently transported back to Pakistan aboard her official aircraft. These components would later be adapted by Pakistani scientists for use in their Ghauri missile program. Years later, North Korean defector Hwang Jang-yop confirmed the existence of this illicit trade, corroborating Bhutto’s accounts from her time in exile.
A pragmatic perspective on regional tensions
In that pivotal conversation, Bhutto also discussed Pakistan’s indigenous missile development, notably the Hatf series, and acknowledged China’s assistance in the development of solid-fuel systems like the M-9 and M-11. During this period, India was simultaneously showcasing its advancements, including the Prithvi short-range missiles and various air defense systems.
However, Bhutto did not romanticize Pakistan’s military buildup; instead, she framed it within the context of a grim reality where strategic parity, rather than ambition, drove the regional arms race. When I inquired about her discussions with former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi regarding Kashmir, she articulated a blend of realism and idealism.
“We had two agenda items: One was Kashmir and [the] other was India–Pakistan, and we said we must not let progress on one issue impede progress on the other,” she emphasized. “If we disagreed over the territorial unity of Kashmir, we can still work for the social unity of Kashmir by working for safe and open borders.”
Bhutto’s thoughts extended beyond immediate political strife to encompass the broader challenges facing the region. She questioned how the nations could rise above the turmoil affecting a billion people grappling with poverty amid pockets of wealth.
Reflecting on Abdul Qadeer Khan, the controversial figure in Pakistan’s nuclear narrative, she described her initial impressions of him as modest, contrasting sharply with the ego that emerged in the 1980s. Her observations underscored the difference between the early perception of Khan as a servant of the state and the later mythologization of him as a national hero.
This candid conversation, unfiltered by the constraints of a press event, provides a historically significant perspective as the specter of nuclear threats resurfaces. Bhutto’s insights serve as a wake-up call in an era where disarmament seems increasingly elusive.
“Neither India can use the nuke, nor can Pakistan. Whichever country is throwing that nuke,” she warned, “knows there is not enough time or space — and is going to get it [thrown] back.”
More than two decades later, her admonition remains profoundly relevant as tensions continue to simmer between these two nuclear-armed neighbors.