The federal government on Tuesday announced a public holiday on May 28th on account of Youm-e-Takbeer. The nation observes ‘Youm-e-Takbeer’ (the day of greatness) to commemorate the historic nuclear tests conducted by Pakistan on May 28, 1998. The nuclear explosions were conducted in self-defence to respond to India’s aggression of nuclear tests. 

On this day, Pakistan became seventh nuclear power of the world with demonstration of nuclear capabilities and the first in the Muslim world after conducting nuclear tests at Chaghai in Balochistan as a response to India’s nuclear bomb tests on 11th and 13th May of the same year at Pokhran in Rajhasthan state of India. 

The successful tests made Pakistan’s defense strong. Nawaz Sharif was the prime minister of Pakistan at that time, under whom nuclear tests were carried out as major world powers urged him to avoid the tests.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)