A series of recent developments have attracted the eyes of the world on an emerging phenomenon wherein Turkish President Erdogan is banking on Pakistani nuclear and missile technologies to fulfill his geopolitical aspirations, Zeenews has claimed adding: Erdogan sees Pakistani nuclear and missile capabilities as an important weapon in achieving his caliphate aspirations.
It may be pointed out that Zeenews and other Indian media report came after the December 22-23 visit to Turkey by a military delegation led by Pakistan's Defense Secretary Lt. General (Retd.) Mian Muhammad Hilal Hussain to attend the 15th Turkey-Pakistan High-Level Military Dialogue Group (HLMDG) which is the biggest institutional setup between both the countries on defense cooperation.
"During the HLMDG meeting, both delegations discussed all avenues of cooperation in military training, education, counter-terrorism, and defense industry cooperation including joint production and procurement. Both sides shared perspectives on prevailing regional environment including the Middle East, South Asia, and Afghanistan," an official statement said
According to Zeenews, the meeting and the deliberations discussed during it were just the tip of the iceberg as it is part of a larger screenplay of sharing nuclear and missile technologies between the two countries. It is believed that Erdogan has personally requested Pakistani Army Chief General Bajwa for sharing nuclear weapon technology which Pakistan has reportedly agreed. The meeting was organized to discuss procedural aspects of the technology transfer that could take place and covering the process at the same time.
Pakistan is rapidly transferring the missile technologies to Turkey and Pakistani scientists are helping Turkey build its capacity in the production of missiles. Scores of Pakistani scientists are currently working with Turkey to enhance its ballistic and nuclear capabilities. By brokering the transfers of missile technologies between countries and manoeuvring the dynamics of geopolitics, Pakistan has brazenly violated the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and non-proliferation rules.
The Zeenews pointed out that the Turkish President Erdogan has been blatantly expressing his nuclear desires through his speeches and comments. Articulating his nuclear aspirations very recently in September 2019, Erdogan stated, "Some countries have missiles with nuclear warheads, not one or two. I, however, am not supposed to have missiles with nuclear warheads. This, I cannot accept... And right next to us , there is Israel, right? With everything, it is frightening."
It is pertinent to note that for decades, Pakistan has been a kingpin of the 'nuclear black market and Turkey has been contributing to Pakistan's business. Giving a jolt to nuclear non-proliferation, the nuclear black market of Pakistan led by Abdul Qadeer Khan helped numerous countries in sharing missile technologies, especially in the production of centrifuges.
According to the International Institute of Strategic Studies, Turkish companies helped Pakistan indulge in the business of nuclear technologies to covertly import materials from Europe and export the finished products to players like Libya, Iran and North Korea. Several media reports have also highlighted that Turkey might be possessing a considerable number of centrifuges made by Pakistan, the Zeenews report said.
The Chinese Connection
According to Indo-Asian News Service behind the Turkey-Pakistan secret collaboration on weapons of mass destruction, China's shadow also looms large. Suspicion of Beijing's collaboration is raised on account of the murky history of nuclear proliferation involving China and Pakistan.
The Hindustan Times claimed last year the seizure of an industrial autoclave from the Chinese ship Dai Cui Yun. Experts from India's Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) confirmed that the contraption could be used for the manufacture of very long-range ballistic missiles or satellite launch rockets. The ship was detained by Customs at Kandla Port while en-route to Port Qasim, Karachi, on February 3. China has been known to have supplied M-9 and M-11 missiles to help Pakistan develop its nuclear missile delivery platforms.
The next meeting of Turkey-Pakistan High-Level Military Dialogue Group is scheduled in 2021 in Pakistan and observers say that that both the countries have set the following targets before their next meeting: fast tracking of missile technology transfer, capacity building of Turkey in producing centrifuges, purchase of small armed Turkish drones by Pakistan, acquisition of high-range Turkish mini drones by Pakistani Army.
Pakistan's naval ship PNS Alamgir and P3C long-range maritime patrol aircraft participated in the multinational exercise "Dogu Akendiz 2019" in southwest Turkey. An additional bilateral exercise took place in 2019 in the Indian Ocean.
In October 2019, the Pakistan Navy commissioned a 17,000-ton fleet tanker that it has built in collaboration with a Turkish defense contractor, STM.
In July 2018, Ankara won a multibillion dollar tender to supply four corvettes to the Pakistan Navy, a deal dubbed as the biggest export for Turkey's defense industry in history. As per the agreement, two ships will be built in Istanbul, and two others in Karachi.
Is
Turkey secretly working on nuclear weapons?
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
