October 1954
Pakistan announces plans for the establishment of an atomic research body as part of a new organization for scientific and industrial research in Pakistan.
--Ashok Kapur, "1953-59: The Origins and Early History of Pakistani Nuclear Activities," Pakistan's Nuclear Development, (New York: Croom Helm, 1987), p.35.

1954
The Government College at Lahore establishes the High Tension & Nuclear Research Laboratory to provide research facilities in nuclear physics for graduate and post-graduate students.
--Ashok Kapur, "1953-59: The Origins and Early History of Pakistani Nuclear Activities," Pakistan's Nuclear Development, (New York: Croom Helm, 1987), p. 36.

January 1955
The Pakistani government forms a 12-member Atomic Energy Committee chaired by Dr. Nazir Ahmed. The committee is asked to: formulate an atomic energy program; identify personnel requirements; and plan a survey of radioactive materials relevant to atomic energy research in Pakistan; and advise the government on any other matter pertaining to the peaceful uses of atomic energy.
--Ashok Kapur, "1953-59: The Origins and Early History of Pakistani Nuclear Activities," Pakistan's Nuclear Development, (New York: Croom Helm, 1987), p.35.

8-20 August 1955
Pakistani government representatives at the first International Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy in Geneva discuss Pakistan's requirements for nuclear sources of energy.
--Ashok Kapur, "1953-59: The Origins and Early History of Pakistani Nuclear Activities," Pakistan's Nuclear Development, (New York: Croom Helm, 1987), p.36.

11 August 1955
Pakistan and the United States sign an agreement on cooperation concerning the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Under the agreement, the United States offers Pakistan $350,000 in aid to procure a pool type reactor.
--Shahid-ur-Rehman, "Z.A. Bhutto, A Man in Hurry for the Bomb," Long Road To Chagai, (Islamabad: 1999, Print Wise Publication), p.22.

March 1956
Pakistan announces the formation of an Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). The commission has two parts: the Atomic Energy Council comprising of two ministers and two secretaries from the federal government and the chairman of the AEC; and the commission itself comprising of the chairman of the AEC and six other scientists.
--Ashok Kapur, "1953-59: The Origins and Early History of Pakistani Nuclear Activities," Pakistan's Nuclear Development, (New York: Croom Helm, 1987), p. 35.

1956
The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) plans, "peaceful uses of atomic energy with special reference to survey, procurement, and disposal of radioactive materials; planning and establishment of atomic energy and nuclear research institute, installation of research and power reactors, negotiation with international atomic energy bodies, selection and training of personnel, application of radio-isotopes to agriculture, health, industry etc."
--Dr. Nasir Ahmed, "The Atomic Energy Commission," Pakistan Quarterly, vol. VII, no. 3, Autumn 1957; cited in, Ashok Kapur, "1953-59: The Origins and Early History of Pakistani Nuclear Activities," Pakistan's Nuclear Development, (New York: Croom Helm, 1987), p. 36.

1957
The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) completes a technical evaluation report and drafts proposals for the acquisition of the U.S. CP5-type research reactor from the United States. However, the PAEC's proposal is vetoed by the departments of finance and industry.
[1.The United States was unwilling to supply Pakistan with a CP5-type of research reactor, which ran on heavy water and offered a light water reactor instead]
--Ashok Kapur, "1953-59: The Origins and Early History of Pakistani Nuclear Activities," Pakistan's Nuclear Development, (New York: Croom Helm, 1987), pp. 38-39, 42.

1955-1959
The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) keeps the supply of the U.S. pool-type reactor pending until 1958. During the intervening yeas, the PAEC board lobbies the finance ministry to allocate resources for the import of a research reactor of the CP-5 type in operation at the Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago; or of the NRX type from Canada. However, the finance ministry rejects PAEC's requests on fiscal grounds.
--Shahid-ur-Rehman, "Z.A. Bhutto, A Man in Hurry for the Bomb," Long Road To Chagai, (Islamabad: 1999, Print Wise Publication), p.23.

March 1958
PAEC Chairman Dr. Nazir Ahmad makes a proposal to the chairman of Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) for setting up a heavy water plant with a production capacity of 50kg of heavy water per day at Multan, in conjunction with a planned fertilizer factory. However, the PIDC does not act on the PAEC's proposal.
--Shahid-ur-Rehman, "Z.A. Bhutto, A Man in Hurry for the Bomb," Long Road To Chagai, (Islamabad: 1999, Print Wise Publication), p.24.

1958
PAEC Chairman Dr. Nazir Ahmad complains that the acquisition of the proposed research reactor has been delayed because "considerations of a non-technical nature were allowed to creep in..." Ahmad also makes a pointed critique of the problem of "red tape" in Pakistan and demands that the PAEC be granted administrative and financial powers to be able to carry out its objectives.
--Ashok Kapur, "1953-59: The Origins and Early History of Pakistani Nuclear Activities," Pakistan's Nuclear Development, (New York: Croom Helm, 1987), pp. 38-39.

March 1959
The PAEC accepts the government's decision to install a pool-type reactor with regret.
--Shahid-ur-Rehman, "Z.A. Bhutto, A Man in Hurry for the Bomb," Long Road To Chagai, (Islamabad: 1999, Print Wise Publication), p.23.

1959
Dr. I.H. Usmani succeeds Dr. Nazir Ahmed as chairman of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC). Under Usmani's tenure, the PAEC focused attention on: training and research infrastructure; acquisition of a research reactor; developing a nuclear power program; gaining international recognition for Pakistan's nuclear establishment; and seeking international cooperation for training and nuclear technology supplies.
--Ashok Kapur, "Dr. Usmani Takes Over, 1960-71," Pakistan's Nuclear Development, (New York: Croom Helm, 1987), p. 53, 70-71.

1963
Pakistan begins operation of the 5MW research nuclear reactor at the Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Research (PINSTECH). The research reactor facilitates research in the fields of agriculture, industry, medicine, and science and technology.
--"Pakistan Makes Achievements in Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy," Xinhua General Overseas News Service, 27 October 1979; in Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe, 27 October 1979, http://web.lexis-nexis.com/.

5 January 1964
Pakistan's Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approves a project to build a 137MW nuclear power plant at Karachi with Canadian assistance.
--Shahid-ur-Rehman, "Z.A. Bhutto, A Man in Hurry for the Bomb," Long Road To Chagai, (Islamabad: 1999, Print Wise Publication), p.24

January 1964-May 1965
Negotiations over the sale of the nuclear power plant from Canada stall over the question of inspections. Canada insists that the 137MW power plant be subject to inspections. However, the Pakistani foreign office insists the plant not be subject to inspections; and that Canada supply the plant on terms similar to those India obtained from Canada. However, Canadian negotiators insist that Pakistan must accept safeguards so long as it obtains the reactors as part of a Canadian government aid package. However, the inspections clause could be dropped if Pakistan paid for the reactors out of its own resources. The Pakistani foreign office ultimately accepts the Canadian argument. During negotiations for the reactor sale, PAEC also makes proposals for the setting up of a nuclear fuel fabrication facility, a heavy water plant, and a reprocessing facility. However, PAEC's proposals do not meet favor within the Pakistani government and are shelved.
--Shahid-ur-Rehman, "Z.A. Bhutto, A Man in Hurry for the Bomb," Long Road To Chagai, (Islamabad: 1999, Print Wise Publication), p.25.

May 1965
The Canadian General Electric Company (CGE) signs a contract with the Pakistani government to build a 137MW heavy water nuclear power reactor on a turnkey basis at Karachi. The Canadian government offers Pakistan a soft loan of $33 million and a supplier credit of $24 million to finance the project.
--Shahid-ur-Rehman, "Z.A. Bhutto, A Man in Hurry for the Bomb," Long Road To Chagai, (Islamabad: 1999, Print Wise Publication), p.24.

1967
Pakistan produces the first batch of radioisotopes at the Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH).
--"Pakistan Produces Radio-Isotopes," Xinhua General Overseas News Service, 20 September 1978; in Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe, 20 September 1978, http://web.lexis-nexis.com/; "Pakistan Makes Achievements in Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy," Xinhua General Overseas News Service, 27 October 1979; in Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe, 27 October 1979, http://web.lexis-nexis.com/.

1960-1967
Pakistan sends 600 scientists and engineers abroad for training in the field of nuclear sciences; of these, 106 return with doctorates.
--Shahid-ur-Rehman, "Z.A. Bhutto, A Man in Hurry for the Bomb," Long Road To Chagai, (Islamabad: 1999, Print Wise Publication), p.19.

1960s
Some foreign ministry officials propose that Pakistan request the purchase of a nuclear fuel processing facility from France. However, suggestions for a processing facility are overruled by foreign secretary Mohammad Yusuf.
--Shahid-ur-Rehman, "Z.A. Bhutto, A Man in Hurry for the Bomb," Long Road To Chagai, (Islamabad: 1999, Print Wise Publication), p. 21.

1960s
Pakistani nuclear scientists Dr. Usmani and Dr. Salam urge the government to acquire a nuclear fuel reprocessing facility after India's example. However, their request is denied by finance minister Mohammad Shoab.
--Shahid-ur-Rehman, "Z.A. Bhutto, A Man in Hurry for the Bomb," Long Road To Chagai, (Islamabad: 1999, Print Wise Publication), p. 21.

Late 1960s
The French nuclear engineering firm Société Générale pour les Techniques Nouvelles (SGN) offers to supply a 100-ton nuclear fuel reprocessing plant to PAEC. However, the proposal is met with disfavor within the Pakistani government and not pursued.
--Shahid-ur-Rehman, "A Tale of Two Scientists," Long Road To Chagai, (Islamabad: 1999, Print Wise Publication), p.31.

1969
The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Agency (UKAEA) agrees to supply a downscaled version of a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in operation at Windscale in Britain to Pakistan. The proposed plant has the capacity for extracting 360g of weapons-grade plutonium annually. Subsequently, five Pakistani nuclear scientists: Dr. S.M. Bhutta, M.T. Ahmad, Abdul Majid, Dr. Mohammad Afzal, and Dr. Ehsan Mubarak are sent to Britain for training. The Pakistani scientists recommend to PAEC that instead of obtaining the entire plant from Britain on a turnkey basis, Pakistan should purchase key parts and manufacture other parts indigenously. The scientists also believe that it would be possible to upgrade the plant indigenously to produce weapons-grade plutonium.
--Shahid-ur-Rehman, "A Tale of Two Scientists," Long Road To Chagai, (Islamabad: 1999, Print Wise Publication), pp. 35-36.

1964-70
Citing Indian advances in nuclear fuel reprocessing and Pakistan's defeat in the 1965 India-Pakistan war, the Pakistan foreign office and foreign minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto lobby for a nuclear weapons option. However, Bhutto and the foreign office are successfully opposed by a counter coalition comprising of PAEC, the Ministry of Finance, and President Ayub Khan. PAEC makes no attempt to acquire facilities for a nuclear fuel cycle that can provide the technical basis for a nuclear weapons program.
--Ashok Kapur, "Dr. Usmani Takes Over, 1960-71," Pakistan's Nuclear Development, (New York: Croom Helm, 1987), pp.77-87.

	Updated December 2005