16 January 1988
The West German firm Alkern denies that it exported nuclear materials in an illegal manner. A spokesman for the company says that "Alkem has never delivered fissile material to countries of the Third and Fourth World, and that includes Libya and Pakistan."
--Firm Denies Sending Nuclear Supplies To Pakistan, DPA (Hamburg), 16 January 1988; Nuclear Developments, 14 March 1988, Pg. 24; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 14 March 1988, http://www.nti.org/nuclear.

16 January 1988
A second West German company, Transnuklear, is accused of delivering fissile material to Libya or Pakistan. However, Federal Environmental Minister, Klaus Toepfer states that "no new proof has been offered regarding accusations that Transnuklear, delivered fissile material to Libya or Pakistan."
--Toepfer Says No New Proof Of Delivery To Libya, Pakistan," DPA (Hamburg), 16 January 1988; Nuclear Developments, 14 March 1988, Pg. 25; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 14 March 1988, http://www.nti.org/nuclear.

17 January 1988
Belgonucleaire, a Belgian company, is accused by a West German newspaper of participating with two West German firms in the clandestine transfer of fissionable material to Pakistan.
--Firm Denies Sending Nuclear Material To Pakistan," Brussels Domestic Service, 17 January 1988; Nuclear Developments, 14 March 1988, Pg. 5; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 14 March 1988, http://www.nti.org/nuclear.

25 January 1988
West Germany launches a full-scale investigation into the charges that Transnuklear and Nukem (two German firms) had been involved in the transport of weapons-grade nuclear fuel to Pakistan, Libya and Sudan.
--Chemical Firm Degussa Takes Over After Shakeup Of Nukem Directorate," Nuclear Fuel, 25 January 1988, Pp. 1 & 7; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 25 January 1988, http://www.nti.org/nuclear.

February 1988
Pakistan denies claims that it is constructing a second uranium enrichment facility in Golra Sharif. The information about the plant comes from U.S. space reconnaissance imagery, which monitored the construction of the facility over several months. The United States also reports that Pakistan's Kahuta facility has enriched uranium to 90%, which the Pakistanis deny and claim that the purpose of Kahuta is to enrich uranium for civil power reactors.
--Existence Of Enrichment Plant Denied," Nuclear Engineering, February 1988, Pg. 7; Nuclear Developments, 28 April 1988, Pg. 19; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 28 April 1988, http://www.nti.org/nuclear.

25 February 1988
A spokesman for the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) reacts to allegations that Nukem (West German firm) illegally exported weapons-grade nuclear material to Pakistan. In response, the spokesman says that Pakistan received shipments of cobalt-60 under a license by Physikalisch Technische-Bundesanstalt (PTB), for use by the Institute of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine in Lahore.
--Pakistan's Government Says Only Medical Isotopes Received," Nuclonics Week, 25 February 1988, Pg. 13; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 25 February 1988, http://www.nti.org/nuclear.

6 March 1988
U.S. experts claim that in the early 1980's, Pakistan obtained "a reliable, tested bomb design," from the People's Republic of China (PRC), in exchange for Pakistan's modern uranium-enriching technology. The U.S. experts also say that the bomb design is "sophisticated," permitting Pakistan to make a bomb weighing less than 400 pounds.
--Developments Of Concern For Horizontal Proliferation: Pakistan," New York Times Magazine, 6 March 1988; PPNN NewsBrief, July 1988, Pg. 7; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 1 July 1988, http://www.nti.org/nuclear.

10 March 1988
A spokesman for the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) says that France has offered to supply a 900 to 1,000 MW nuclear power plant to Pakistan, if Pakistan agrees to drop its legal suit against the French failure to supply a contracted reprocessing plant in the late 1970's. The PAEC has the financing set up for a reactor purchase, but considers the nuclear option to be costly and impractical. France is offering to supply the reactor to Pakistan without demanding its (Pakistan's) signatures of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), as long as the plant is under safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
--Pakistani Says French Could Swap Chashma PWR For Reprocessing UNI," Nucleonics Week, 10 March 1988, Pp. 6-7; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 10 March 1988,http://www.nti.org/nuclear.

28 March 1988
India and Israel reportedly discuss the possibility of attacking Pakistan's nuclear facility at Kahuta. Both countries fear Pakistan's nuclear bomb manufacturing know-how for different reasons: India fears that Pakistan will use the bomb in a regional conflict and Israel fears that Pakistan will share its know-how with other Arab states. Israeli officials believe that financial barriers are the only thing preventing Pakistani bomb proliferation.
--India, Israel Claimed Considering Attack," The Muslim (Islamabad), 28 March 1988, Pg. 1; Nuclear Developments, 23 May 1988, Pp. 26-27; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 23 May 1988, http://www.nti.org/nuclear.

7 April 1988
The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) begins to work on its pool-type research reactor which is located at the Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH). The work entails changing the reactor form 5 MW to 10 MW and converting its core from 90% enriched uranium to 20% enrichment. The reactor is being modified to keep pace with new requirements and also because the United States refuses to provide fuel of such high enrichment.
--Pakistani Research Reactor To Be Converted To LEU," Nucleonics Week, 7 April 1988, Pg. 6; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 7 April 1988, http://www.nti.org/nuclear.

28 April 1988
Pakistan defers its negotiations with France over a reprocessing plant contract until after the French elections, when it (Pakistan) will resume them with a new (French) government. Pakistan wants a nuclear power plant as part of the settlement; while French officials maintain that they will not link aid for any project as part of the contract settlement. The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) says that Pakistan should have a 5,000 MW generating capacity by the year 2000, but that goal appears unrealistic.
--Pakistan Says French Negotiations Deferred," Nucleonics Week, 28 April 1988, Pg. 12; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 28 April 1988, http://www.nti.org/nuclear.

June 1988
A source at Iran's Atomic Energy Organization denies the allegations from the UK's Observer newspaper that Iran and Pakistan have signed a nuclear pact.
--Iran Denies Signing Nuclear pact With Pakistan," Kayan International (Tehran), 14 June 1988, Pg. 2; Nuclear Developments, 10 August 1988, Pg. 22; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 10 August 1988, http://www.nti.org/nuclear.

June 1988
The Pakistani Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) announces that it plans to build up to five 900 MW light water reactors by the year 2000. The Pakistanis also deny a report that a second uranium enrichment plant was being built at Golra Sharif.
--Pakistan: Still Planning," Nuclear Engineering International, June 1988, Pg. 28; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 1 June 1988, http://www.nti.org/nuclear.

13 June 1988
The United Kingdom's Observer confirms that Pakistan and Iran signed a secret nuclear cooperation agreement in 1987, which would allow Iranian engineers to develop their skills in Pakistan. This agreement took place between Reza Amrollahi, chairman of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization and his Pakistani counterpart, Munir Ahmad Khan.
--Secret Agreement With Pakistan Revealed," Al-Watan (Kuwait), 13 June 1988, Pg. 1; Nuclear Developments, 13 July 1988, Pg. 19; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 13 July 1988, http://www.nti.org/nuclear.

14 June 1988
A Pakistani foreign office spokesman denies the allegation that Pakistan signed a secret nuclear pact with Iran. The spokesman claims that no Pakistani scientists have visited Iran's nuclear plant in Bushehr in recent years, nor have Iranian nuclear experts received additional training in Pakistan.
--Spokesman Denies 'Secret' Nuclear Pact With Iran," Islamabad Domestic Service, 14 June 1988; Nuclear Developments, 21 June 1988, Pg. 24; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 21 June 1988, http://www.nti.org/nuclear.

9 August 1988
Pakistan draws up a comprehensive plan of action for indigenization of its nuclear program to achieve self-reliance in order to meet its needs for nuclear energy. This action is based on a lack of willingness by foreign countries to export nuclear supplies to Pakistan until it (Pakistan) signs the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) Pakistan's Minister for Justice states that Pakistan refuses to sign the NPT unilaterally, but will sign it if India does.
--Nuclear Energy Self-Sufficiency Plan Prepared," Islamabad Domestic Service, 9 August 1988; Nuclear Developments, 2 September 1988, Pp. 19-20; in NTI nuclear and Missile Database, 2 September 1988, http://www.nti.org/nuclear.

17 August 1988
Pakistan acquires the essential technology for the exploration of uranium resources and other materials, production of uranium concentrate and oxide, and manufacture of nuclear fuel elements ready to be used in power reactors. This is part of Pakistan's comprehensive effort to develop self-reliance in its nuclear power program.
--Plan For Nuclear Self-Reliance Developed," Islamabad Domestic Service, 17 August 1988; Nuclear Developments, 2 September 1988, Pg. 20; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 2 September 1988, http://www.nit.org/nuclear.

18 August 1988
Pakistan's Minister for Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Wasim Sajjad tells the Pakistani Senate that Islamabad is now considering an offer from France to supply a 900-MW nuclear power plant under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards but without Pakistan signing the Non-Proliferation treaty (NPT). Sajjad notes that the acceptance of the French offer is contingent on the satisfactory resolution of the 1978 suspension of a contract between France and Pakistan, which would have supplied Pakistan with a reprocessing plant. The negotiations to solve the dispute in a mutually acceptable fashion are currently ongoing.
--Pakistan Minister Says Deal For French Nuclear Unit Eyed," Nucleonics Week, 18 August 1988, Pp. 4-5; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 18 August 1988, http://www.nti.org/db/nuclear.

27 August 1988
Indian police officials seize 2 kilograms of radioactive material bound for Pakistan from Petlad, India. The material was en route to one of he most infamous smugglers of Kutch.
--Radioactive Matter For Pakistan Seized In Gujarat," The Telegraph (Calcutta), 27 August 1988, Pg. 4; Nuclear Developments, 21 October 1988, Pg. 4; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 21 October 1988, http://www.nti.org/db/nuclear.

2 October 1988
The USSR trade representative in Pakistan, Yuri S. Ossipov states during a press conference that a Pakistani request for Soviet assistance on a 900-MW nuclear power plant at Chashma has not been answered by Moscow. Chashma is one of 14 projects on a list forwarded to the Soviet Embassy in June 1988 for possible future assistance. Ossipov also states that the USSR is still considering what action to take on the various Pakistani offers, but he believes that one of the reasons for the delay is because of the limitation of the USSR's export capacity due to already full export schedules.
--Pakistan: Moscow Gives No Answer Of Nuclear Plant Aid," Nucleonics Week, 20 October 1988, Pg. 16; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 20 October 1988, http://www.nti.org/db/nuclear.

4 October 1988
The Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science & Technology (PINSTECH) develops a new technique for exploring and mining uranium and thorium, which exist indigenously in large deposits in Pakistan. Pakistan continues to back up its indigenous attempts with efforts to acquire technology from the West. Islamabad approaches France with a request for tritium, an element used to increase the power of nuclear warheads.
--Significance Of Pakistan Nuclear Developments Described," The Telegraph (Calcutta), 4 October 1988, Pg. 3; Nuclear Developments, 23 December 1988, Pp. 14-15; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 23 December 1988, http://www.nti.org/db/nuclear.

1 November 1988
A United States Government report states that Pakistan's Kahuta enrichment plant may be able to produce enough weapons grade uranium to produce one to three explosive devices annually.
--Developments Of Concern For Vertical Proliferation," Nuclear Proliferation In South Asia: Containing The Threat. A State Report; PPNN NewsBrief, November 1988, Pg. 5; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 1 November 1988, http://www.nti.org/db/nuclear.

14 November 1988
Pakistan denies allegations made by the UK's Observer newspaper that Iranians are being trained in Pakistan's atomic energy institutions.
--Training of Iranians In Atomic Energy Denied," Islamabad Domestic Service, 14 November 1988; Nuclear Developments, 28 November 1988, Pg. 6; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 28 November 1988, http://www.nti.org/db/nuclear.

30 November 1988
A Pakistani foreign office spokesman rejects the report of a British daily that alleges that Pakistan is assisting Iran in the establishment of a atomic center at Kuzmin.
--UK Paper's Claim Of Nuclear Help To Iran Denied," Islamabad Domestic Service, 30 November 1988; Nuclear Developments, 23 December 1988, Pg. 17; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 23 December 1988, http://www.nti.org/db/nuclear.

26 December 1988
Two West German firms, Neue Technologien GmbH (NTG) and Physikalisch Technische Beratung (PTB), are under investigation for illegally exporting nuclear components and materials from Germany to Pakistan, India and South Africa. The illegal imports reportedly include both tritium and tritium processing equipment. NTG is being investigated for exporting components for fuel fabrication, a plant for processing of tritium and transport and storage containers for UF6 to Pakistan. PTB, the other firm under investigation, acknowledges that zircalloy cladding was sent to Pakistan for the KANUPP heavy water reactor.
--German Prosecutors Cite Illegal Exports To Pakistan, India, And South Africa," Nuclear Fuel, 26 December 1988, Pp. 1, 9-11; in NTI Nuclear and Missile Database, 26 December 1988, http://www.nti.org/db/nuclear.

	Updated November 2006