The nation is observing the 26th anniversary of Youm-e-Takbeer today (Tuesday) with zeal and fervour in remembrance of the successful nuclear tests conducted by Pakistan in the hills of Chaghai.
Pakistan, with the successful nuclear tests, became the seventh nuclear-armed country in the world and the first in the Islamic world.
The nuclear tests not only demonstrated Pakistan’s resolve to safeguard the country’s territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty but also the desire to preserve strategic balance in South Asia.
On the occasion of Youm-e-Takbeer, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Acting President Yusuf Raza Gilani and services chiefs felicitated the nation.
PM Shehbaz congratulated the people of Pakistan, saying the day symbolises the collective effort of all facets of national power, overcoming what seemed like an insurmountable challenge and achieving a milestone in the country’s defense capabilities.
“May 28 signifies more than just a mere commemoration of a day; it encapsulates the narrative of our nation’s arduous yet remarkable path towards establishing a credible minimum deterrence,” the prime minister wrote on X.
The premier said that Nawaz Sharif, on this historic day in 1998, demonstrated bold leadership by rejecting nerve wrecking pressures and inducements to make Pakistan a nuclear armed nation.
“I also pay tribute to Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the founder of Pakistan’s nuclear programme for his strategic foresight and unwavering commitment to the cause,” said the prime minister.
