Even when I was a kid, I thought having the A-bomb would solve Pakistan's problems. The only enemy we had in those days was India and I used to think how terrified India would be if Pakistan went nuclear. Twenty four years back India suddenly exploded its bomb, and then goaded Pakistan into following it. India was convinced Pakistan would go bankrupt after sanctions were imposed on it. In fact, Indians are continually surprised that Pakistan has managed to survive, as even after independence, Indian leaders were convinced that Pakistan would not last more than six months. They expected Jinnah to beg them to undo partition. After the loss of East Pakistan, Indian leaders believed that Baluchistan and the NWFP (KP) would go their own ways and only a truncated Pakistan would remain. I suppose we should credit our army for being a free country today. But we should not forget that even the Soviet Union disintegrated despite having the world's largest nuclear arsenal.
There is plenty of evidence to prove that India would have invaded Pakistan long ago if it hadn't gone nuclear. Unfortunately we failed to become financially independent, and we are dependent on foreign countries to keep us viable. This is one problem that refuses to go away. What's the use of being a nuclear power if we are always on the brink of collapse? Unless Pakistan's rich elite is taxed heavily, Pakistan will find it difficult to survive.
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