The Prospect of Nuclear Jihad in Pakistan: The Armed Forces, Islamic State, and the Threat of Chemical and Biological Terrorism

Musa Khan Jalalzai, a specialist on Pakistan's international and domestic problems, offers a research work which explores corruption, the business of killing and the importing and exporting of terrorism by the Pakistan army. This book focuses on the smuggling of Pakistan's nuclear weapon, the role of foreign investment in the nuclear program, extrajudicial killings in Balochistan, Sindh and Waziristan, and the forceful disappearance of individuals who turn out to be inconvenient. When we talk about Pakistan's nuclear weapons, armed forces and civilian governments, then controversies and uninvited and unmentionable misperceptions swirl in our minds. If we take in the broad picture, we inevitably conclude that things are not going in the right direction in the country; and that is because the army, politicians and the establishment perceive jihadism as a profitable business. They run this business of killings and torture through their proxies. When we study the militarized mind of Pakistani generals and recognize their resentment towards civilian institutions, we find more controversies about the role of armed forces and their relationship with worldwide terrorist organizations. The Pakistan military controls the financial market, stock exchange, real estate business, banking sector, and smuggling of narcotics. Ethnic representation within the armed forces raises serious concerns. Some experts say this is not a national army but view it as the club of Pashtun and Punjabi generals. The army has failed to develop a true ethnic representation process or motivate Baloch and Sindhis to join the armed forces; but they certainly have gained experience in killing innocent civilians. Then there is the question of the Saudi investment in Pakistan's "Islamic" nuclear bomb. Saudi Arabia's link with Pakistan's nuclear and missile program has long been the source of speculation that Pakistan might either station nuclear forces on Saudi sand or provide a nuclear umbrella to the Wahabi state, in return for oil supply; or that the Saudis would purchase nuclear weapons from Pakistan. International journalist Musa Khan Jalalzai is ideally positioned to present us with a picture of what is actually afoot and what it means for the future.