On Youm-i-Takbeer, Pakistani leaders hail nation’s ‘unwavering determination’ under ‘bold leadership’
As the nation observed Youmi-Takbeer on Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Acting President Yusuf Raza Gilani hailed the nation’s “unwavering determination” to make Pakistan a nuclear power under the “bold leadership” of then-premier Nawaz Sharif.
Youm-i-Takbeer is observed on May 28 to commemorate the historic day in 1998 when Pakistan joined the ranks of nuclear powers after atomic tests in the hills of Chagai, Balochistan. Pakistan became the seventh nuclear nation in the world and the first Muslim state to have a nuclear arsenal.
A day ago, PM Shehbaz had declared today a public holiday across the country on account of Youm-i-Takbeer.
The day dawned with special prayers and recitation of the Holy Quran in mosques for the country’s peace and prosperity, state-run
Radio Pakistan reported.
It recalled that Pakistan had carried out the atomic tests in response to the Indian nuclear explosions, making the country’s defence impregnable. Radio Pakistan stated that the country “defied international pressure to conduct the nuclear tests” under the leadership of then-premier Nawaz.
Social media accounts of the government and Radio Pakistan also used the hashtag “Hum28MayWalayHain” in posts celebrating Youm-i-Takbeer.
Rallies were taken out in Rawalpindi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swabi and Orakzai, with participants carrying national flags and raising slogans in support of the Pakistan Army, Radio Pakistan reported.
In his message, PM Shehbaz said May 28 “encapsulates the narrative of our nation’s arduous yet remarkable path towards establishing a credible minimum deterrence” (CMD).
“On this historic day in 1998, [then-] PM Nawaz Sharif demonstrated bold leadership by rejecting nerve-wracking pressures and inducements to make Pakistan a nuclear-armed nation,” he wrote in a post on X.
The premier also paid tribute to ex-prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who he said was the “founder of Pakistan’s nuclear programme for his strategic foresight and unwavering commitment to the cause”.
“This significant day symbolises the collective effort of all facets of national power, overcoming what seemed like an insurmountable challenge and achieving a milestone in our country’s defence capabilities,” PM Shehbaz asserted.
Acting president Gilani said Youm-i-Takbeer served as a “testament to our nation’s resilience, unwavering determination and commitment to maintaining regional peace and stability”.
Calling the day a “pivotal moment in our history”, Gilani noted that the “journey to becoming a nuclear state was not without its difficulties”.