Pakistan publicly rejected Donald Trump’s recent assertion that it has been conducting covert nuclear tests. Trump had implied that Pakistan, along with major powers like China and Russia, was secretly resuming underground nuclear testing, prompting intense speculation online. Social media users even linked natural earthquakes in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region to alleged nuclear activity, despite there being no verifiable evidence.
In response, a senior Pakistani security official clarified that the country has not resumed nuclear testing and has no intention of doing so. The official reiterated that Pakistan was not the first to test nuclear weapons in the region and would not be the first to restart such tests, emphasizing continuity in policy. The statement firmly shut down Trump’s comments and came as Islamabad has been attempting to strengthen relations with him amid shifting geopolitical dynamics.
Trump’s remarks emerged during a justification for his stance on US nuclear testing, where he cited other nations as already engaging in similar activities. Pakistan’s name, when mentioned alongside nuclear-armed states known for active testing programs, triggered renewed debate, given that Pakistan’s last confirmed nuclear test occurred in 1998 in response to India’s Pokhran-II tests. Experts have long noted that any secret test by Islamabad would bring enormous diplomatic and economic consequences while providing limited strategic benefit.
Speculation over hidden tests has surfaced periodically, but geologists and regional analysts point out that the earthquakes cited by conspiracy theorists fall along well-known seismic fault lines, making natural tremors far more plausible. Despite enduring rumors, no credible evidence has ever surfaced to support claims of secret nuclear detonations by Pakistan.
While India maintains a declared no-first-use stance for nuclear weapons, Pakistan does not follow such a doctrine and has issued threats in the past involving potential nuclear responses. However, officials in Islamabad are currently focused on projecting stability and diplomatic restraint, making Trump’s comments particularly unwelcome.
