ISLAMABAD: The nation is fervently celebrating Youm-e-Takbeer on Tuesday (today), marking the historic day when Pakistan successfully conducted nuclear tests at the Ras Koh hills in the Chaghai District of Balochistan 26 years ago. 

Pakistan responded to Indian nuclear tests by carrying out successful tests in 1998, becoming the seventh nuclear-armed country in the world and the first in the Islamic world.

The nuclear tests not only demonstrated Pakistan's resolve to safeguard the country's territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty but also the desire to preserve strategic balance in South Asia.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Acting President Yusuf Raza Gilani and services chiefs congratulated the people of Pakistan on the occasion of Youm-e-Takbeer. 

PM Shehbaz congratulated the people of Pakistan, saying the day symbolises the collective effort of all facets of national power, overcoming what seemed like an insurmountable challenge and achieving a milestone in the country’s defense capabilities.

“May 28 signifies more than just a mere commemoration of a day; it encapsulates the narrative of our nation's arduous yet remarkable path towards establishing a credible minimum deterrence,” the prime minister wrote on X.

The premier said that Nawaz Sharif, on this historic day in 1998, demonstrated bold leadership by rejecting nerve wrecking pressures and inducements to make Pakistan a nuclear armed nation.

“I also pay tribute to Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the founder of Pakistan’s nuclear programme for his strategic foresight and unwavering commitment to the cause," said the prime minister.

Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Sahir Shamshad Mirza and services chiefs, on behalf of the armed forces, extended warm felicitations to the nation.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), this momentous occasion commemorates the historic achievement of Pakistan's nuclear tests in 1998, which successfully established credible minimum deterrence and restored the balance of power in the region.

The armed forces and the nation pay tribute to the unwavering dedication and selfless sacrifices of all those who contributed to this remarkable feat, achieved against overwhelming odds, said the statement.