Assessing the security of Pakistan’s nuclear weapon programme

Although the broad outlines of Pakistan's nuclear weapons' programme are well documented, significant gaps remain in the understanding of the country's nuclear security regime. Nuclear security remains a highly politicised topic, with little robust information available regarding the steps taken to secure the country's nuclear assets. To help “fill the gaps”, this paper places official Pakistani documents, statements, and other open source information, into an analytical framework based on international standards of physical security. Although gaps in understanding remain, this paper finds that, in general, Pakistan has enacted robust security measures to protect its nuclear weapons and nuclear-weapons related infrastructure. Nonetheless, the prevailing perception of Pakistan's nuclear security remains dominated by embarrassing episodes that emphasise the importance of effective nuclear security culture. Based on its findings, this paper also offers policy recommendations which may offer additional confidence about the rigours of the country's nuclear security regime.