Chagai Hills
Encyclopedia
The Chagai Hills is a range of granite
hills in the Chagai District
in Pakistan
's Balochistan province
.
north of Pakistan's Ras Koh Hills and south of Afghanistan's Helmand and Nimruz provinces.
belt. The Chagai Hills receive scanty and irregular rainfall (an average of 4 inches (102 mm) annually). The temperature is extreme: very hot in summer and very cold in winter. The average minimum temperature is 2.4°C (36.3°F) in January and the average maximum temperature is 42.5°C (108.5°F) in July.
with the same name.
Plans to conduct tests were began by Münir Ahmad Khan
, Chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission
(PAEC) in 1975. The PAEC's Directorate for Geological and Seismic Development (GSD) completed the survey finding a suitable locations for the weapon-testings site. In 1976, after the formal reported was submitted, Munir Ahmad Khan summoned dr. Ishfaq Ahmad
, Director-General of Nuclear Physics Group (NPG) and Dr. Ahsan Mubarak, Director-General Geological and Seismic Development (GSD) and, tasked them for the selection of the nuclear test sites. In 1976, Bhutto
directed an electronic telegram, through Army Generals Headquarter (GHQ), to Brigadier-General Muhammad Sarfraz, Chief of Staff of the 17th Mountain Brigade of the V Corps
. The message was to make an availability of a Mil Mi-8
, an army helicopter, to a forthcoming team of civilian scientists from PAEC for operational reconnaissance mission of some areas in Balochistan Province. At 04:00 a.m., the small teams of physicists and seismologist landed at the Samungli Air Force Base and at 06:00 hours, the Mil Mi-8 took off the teams under Ishfaq Ahmad and Dr. Ahsan Mubarak. Over a span of three days, the PAEC scientists reconnoitered, several times, the area between Turbat
, Awaran
and Khüzdar
to the south, Naukundi
to the east and Kharan
to the west. One of the objective was to find a suitable place for an underground tests, preferably a mountain. After a hectic and careful survey, the mountain was discovered at Ras Koh Hills, an area completely independent from Chagai Hills. It is noted that Ras Koh Hills are not located in Chagai Hills and independent from the region. But, because Ras Koh Hills are located in Chagai District
, it is often confused with Chagai Hills.
With incoming Martial Law Administrator General Rahimuddin Khan, the PAEC began constructed its iron-steel underground tunnels in 1977 and PAEC
completed its construction in 1979. The task was undertaken by Corps of Engineers
's Special Development Works (SDW) and Frontier Works Organisation
(FWO), the special units of military scientists
and engineers, headed by Lieutenant-General Zahid Ali Akbar Khan and Brigadier-General Muhammad Sarfaraz, directly reporting to the Pakistan Army's Generals Headquarters (GHQ). The primary task of the organization was to prepare underground test sites (both horizontal and vertical shafts) for 20-kilotonne nuclear devices, with all the allied infrastructure and facilities. The sites had to be designed in such a way that they could be utilized at short notice (in less than a week) and were to be completed by December 1979 at the latest.
Long before the tests be concluded, American
authors William E. Burrows and Robert Windrem, published their books, Critical Mass, in 1994. Through this book, Chagai Hills nexus with nuclear deterrent programme of Pakistan became in international limelight and notice.However, despite of its popularity, none of the nuclear tests were conducted neither the experiments were performed there.
However, because the related mountains in which the tests were performed and conducted. The global intelligences thought as Chagai to be premium test site for the weapon-testings. The tests were followed as India
surprisingly conducted the tests of its own nuclear devices —codename Operation Shakti — on May 11th and May 13th, the Pokhran-II
, in the Pokhran Army Test Range (PATR) located in the Rajasthan State
, an eastern border of Pakistan. After Prime minister
Nawaz Sharif
attended the National Security Council
's session, Schärief ordered and gave authorization to the academic scientists at the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission
(PAEC) to conduct a nuclear test operation of its own. Following the orders, scientists from Kahuta Research Laboratories
(KRL), Defence Science and Technology Organization
(DESTO), Corps of Engineers
and Military Engineering Service (MES) also joined PAEC in the efforts. Ordered by Prime minister Schärief, No. 11 Squadron Arrows was put on high-alert and the No. 6 Squadron Globe Trotters flown the nuclear devices, in sub-assembly form, to Chagai Hills. Meanwhile, the Ahsan Naval Base
and the Naval Observatory
was also at red-alert level providing electronic intelligence services to the Pakistan Armed Forces.
On May 25th, the preparations were completed by PAEC, and iron-steel tunnels were closed with mixed sand-cement
. On May 26, the iron-steel tunnels were electronically plugged, and on May 27th, ement had completely dried out due to the excessive heat of the summer desert as the engineers had certified that the concrete had hardened and the site was fit for the tests it was communicated to the Prime Minister via the GHQ that the site was ready. The Naval Observatory sat the time and date for operation's rendezvous with destiny was set for 15:00 p.m. on 28 May 1998.
On May 28th, the PAEC conducted a nuclear tests of five nuclear devices, exploded simultaneously, at 15:00 hours. This operation was named Chagai-I
and all of these nuclear devices used HEU, evidently made from KRL
, and had Beryllium reflectors.
After the tests, the Pakistan Government
did not issued any additional details about exact locations of where the tests were performed. Chagai Hills is an extensive and dangerous areas and the sites are not under the safeguards
or inspections of the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA).
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
hills in the Chagai District
Chagai District
Chaghi/Chagai is the largest district of Pakistan and is located on the north west corner of Balochistan, Pakistan. It forms a triangular border with Afghanistan and Iran.Pakistan conducted a nuclear weapons test in 1998 at Ras Koh Hills Chagai District....
in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
's Balochistan province
Balochistan (Pakistan)
Balochistan is one of the four provinces or federating units of Pakistan. With an area of 134,051 mi2 or , it is the largest province of Pakistan, constituting approximately 44% of the total land mass of Pakistan. According to the 1998 population census, Balochistan had a population of...
.
Location
The Chagai Hills lie in a desert area in the northernmost part of Chagai DistrictChagai District
Chaghi/Chagai is the largest district of Pakistan and is located on the north west corner of Balochistan, Pakistan. It forms a triangular border with Afghanistan and Iran.Pakistan conducted a nuclear weapons test in 1998 at Ras Koh Hills Chagai District....
north of Pakistan's Ras Koh Hills and south of Afghanistan's Helmand and Nimruz provinces.
Topography
The Chagai Hills are granite mountains, which, at their highest point, rise to a height of 9,367ft (3,009m) above sea level. They stretch over an area that is approximately 175 km in length and 95 km in width.Climate
The Chagai Hills lie in an arid zone, which is outside the monsoonMonsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
belt. The Chagai Hills receive scanty and irregular rainfall (an average of 4 inches (102 mm) annually). The temperature is extreme: very hot in summer and very cold in winter. The average minimum temperature is 2.4°C (36.3°F) in January and the average maximum temperature is 42.5°C (108.5°F) in July.
Nuclear tests
Chagai Hills are often confused as being the location of Pakistan's nuclear tests of 28 May 1998, which were not carried out in the Chagai Hills but in the Ras Koh Hills, which is an entirely different range of hills to the south of Chagai Hills and separated from the Chagai Hills by a large valley. The confusion may arise from the fact that both the Chagai Hills and the Ras Koh Hills are situated in the Chagai DistrictChagai District
Chaghi/Chagai is the largest district of Pakistan and is located on the north west corner of Balochistan, Pakistan. It forms a triangular border with Afghanistan and Iran.Pakistan conducted a nuclear weapons test in 1998 at Ras Koh Hills Chagai District....
with the same name.
Plans to conduct tests were began by Münir Ahmad Khan
Munir Ahmad Khan
Munir Ahmad Khan , HI, was a Pakistani nuclear engineer and a scientist who served as the Chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission from 1972 to 1991...
, Chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission
Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission
The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, , is an administrative governmental and autonomous science and technology governmental department of Pakistan, responsible for development of nuclear energy and development of nuclear power sector in Pakistan...
(PAEC) in 1975. The PAEC's Directorate for Geological and Seismic Development (GSD) completed the survey finding a suitable locations for the weapon-testings site. In 1976, after the formal reported was submitted, Munir Ahmad Khan summoned dr. Ishfaq Ahmad
Ishfaq Ahmad
Ishfaq Ahmad , D.Sc., Minister of State, SI, HI, NI, FPAS, is a Pakistani nuclear physicist, and well-known educationist and academic from Pakistan...
, Director-General of Nuclear Physics Group (NPG) and Dr. Ahsan Mubarak, Director-General Geological and Seismic Development (GSD) and, tasked them for the selection of the nuclear test sites. In 1976, Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was 9th Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977, and prior to that, 4th President of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973. Bhutto was the founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party — the largest and most influential political party in Pakistan— and served as its chairman until his...
directed an electronic telegram, through Army Generals Headquarter (GHQ), to Brigadier-General Muhammad Sarfraz, Chief of Staff of the 17th Mountain Brigade of the V Corps
V Corps (Pakistan)
The V Corps, also known as Victory Corps, is an administrative corps of Pakistan Army assigned in Karachi, Sindh Province of Pakistan. The V Corps is the only corps that is stationed in the Sindh Province, while the II Strike Corps and the IV Corps are both stationed in Punjab Province...
. The message was to make an availability of a Mil Mi-8
Mil Mi-8
The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter, and is used by over 50 countries. Russia is the largest operator of the Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter....
, an army helicopter, to a forthcoming team of civilian scientists from PAEC for operational reconnaissance mission of some areas in Balochistan Province. At 04:00 a.m., the small teams of physicists and seismologist landed at the Samungli Air Force Base and at 06:00 hours, the Mil Mi-8 took off the teams under Ishfaq Ahmad and Dr. Ahsan Mubarak. Over a span of three days, the PAEC scientists reconnoitered, several times, the area between Turbat
Turbat
Turbat is a city located in southern Balochistan, a province of Pakistan. The town is the administrative center of Kech District and Turbat Tehsil, the town itself contains one Union council.-About:...
, Awaran
Awaran
Awaran is the capital of Awaran District in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. As well as district capital the town serves as tehsil headquarters and as a Union Council.-References:...
and Khüzdar
Khuzdar
Khuzdar or Khozdar is a town located in Khuzdar District in Balochistan, Pakistan. Khuzdar is the capital of Khuzdar District, which was created on 1 March 1974...
to the south, Naukundi
Naukundi
Naukundi is a small town in Chagai District, Balochistan, Pakistan. There are several tribes in Naukundi, such as Sanjrani, Notezai,Mohammad Hassani and many others . Naukundi is the second biggest city in the Chagai District....
to the east and Kharan
Kharan
Kharan can refer to:* Kharan, Pakistan, city in Balochistan.* Kharan District, district of Balochistan, Pakistan* Kharan , former princely state* Kharan Desert* The upper Halil River* Haran, Azerbaijan...
to the west. One of the objective was to find a suitable place for an underground tests, preferably a mountain. After a hectic and careful survey, the mountain was discovered at Ras Koh Hills, an area completely independent from Chagai Hills. It is noted that Ras Koh Hills are not located in Chagai Hills and independent from the region. But, because Ras Koh Hills are located in Chagai District
Chagai District
Chaghi/Chagai is the largest district of Pakistan and is located on the north west corner of Balochistan, Pakistan. It forms a triangular border with Afghanistan and Iran.Pakistan conducted a nuclear weapons test in 1998 at Ras Koh Hills Chagai District....
, it is often confused with Chagai Hills.
With incoming Martial Law Administrator General Rahimuddin Khan, the PAEC began constructed its iron-steel underground tunnels in 1977 and PAEC
Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission
The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, , is an administrative governmental and autonomous science and technology governmental department of Pakistan, responsible for development of nuclear energy and development of nuclear power sector in Pakistan...
completed its construction in 1979. The task was undertaken by Corps of Engineers
Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers
The Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers, , is an active military administrative staff corps, and a major science and technology command of the Pakistan Army...
's Special Development Works (SDW) and Frontier Works Organisation
Frontier Works Organisation
Frontier Works Organisation is a construction and military engineering administrative branch of the Pakistani Army that was established in 1966. It is a part of Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers and it has credited to build numerous bridges, roads, tunnels, airfields and dams in Pakistan. FWO...
(FWO), the special units of military scientists
Military science
Military science is the process of translating national defence policy to produce military capability by employing military scientists, including theorists, researchers, experimental scientists, applied scientists, designers, engineers, test technicians, and military personnel responsible for...
and engineers, headed by Lieutenant-General Zahid Ali Akbar Khan and Brigadier-General Muhammad Sarfaraz, directly reporting to the Pakistan Army's Generals Headquarters (GHQ). The primary task of the organization was to prepare underground test sites (both horizontal and vertical shafts) for 20-kilotonne nuclear devices, with all the allied infrastructure and facilities. The sites had to be designed in such a way that they could be utilized at short notice (in less than a week) and were to be completed by December 1979 at the latest.
Long before the tests be concluded, American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
authors William E. Burrows and Robert Windrem, published their books, Critical Mass, in 1994. Through this book, Chagai Hills nexus with nuclear deterrent programme of Pakistan became in international limelight and notice.However, despite of its popularity, none of the nuclear tests were conducted neither the experiments were performed there.
However, because the related mountains in which the tests were performed and conducted. The global intelligences thought as Chagai to be premium test site for the weapon-testings. The tests were followed as India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
surprisingly conducted the tests of its own nuclear devices —codename Operation Shakti — on May 11th and May 13th, the Pokhran-II
Pokhran-II
Pokharan-II refers to test explosions of five nuclear devices, three on 11 May and two on 13 May 1998, conducted by India at the Pokhran test range. These nuclear tests resulted in a variety of sanctions against India by a number of major states....
, in the Pokhran Army Test Range (PATR) located in the Rajasthan State
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, an eastern border of Pakistan. After Prime minister
Prime Minister of Pakistan
The Prime Minister of Pakistan , is the Head of Government of Pakistan who is designated to exercise as the country's Chief Executive. By the Constitution of Pakistan, Pakistan has the parliamentary democratic system of government...
Nawaz Sharif
Nawaz Sharif
Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif is a Pakistani conservative politician and steel magnate who served as 12th Prime Minister of Pakistan in two non-consecutive terms from November 1990 to July 1993, and from February 1997 to October 12, 1999...
attended the National Security Council
National Security Council of Pakistan
The Prime minister Secretariat National Security Council is a consultative body that is chaired by the President of Pakistan and Prime minister of Pakistan. It is a principal forum that is mandated for considering national security and foreign policy matters with the senior national security...
's session, Schärief ordered and gave authorization to the academic scientists at the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission
Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission
The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, , is an administrative governmental and autonomous science and technology governmental department of Pakistan, responsible for development of nuclear energy and development of nuclear power sector in Pakistan...
(PAEC) to conduct a nuclear test operation of its own. Following the orders, scientists from Kahuta Research Laboratories
Kahuta Research Laboratories
The Khan Research Laboratories ,, formerly known as Engineering Research Laboratories , is a multi-program Pakistan's weapons science and engineering research and development institute and nuclear research facility...
(KRL), Defence Science and Technology Organization
Defence Science and Technology Organization
The Defence Science and Technology Organization, best known as DESTO, is a defense science and technological sciences government agency of Pakistan Defence Forces located in Rawalpindi, Punjab province of Pakistan. DESTO is an independent science and defence research organization, known for its...
(DESTO), Corps of Engineers
Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers
The Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers, , is an active military administrative staff corps, and a major science and technology command of the Pakistan Army...
and Military Engineering Service (MES) also joined PAEC in the efforts. Ordered by Prime minister Schärief, No. 11 Squadron Arrows was put on high-alert and the No. 6 Squadron Globe Trotters flown the nuclear devices, in sub-assembly form, to Chagai Hills. Meanwhile, the Ahsan Naval Base
PNS Ahsan
The Pakistan Naval Station Ahsan, known as PNS Ahsan, is a Logistics-Intelligence Naval base located in Makran, Balochistan Province. The base is named after legendary naval intelligence officer and former Chief of Naval Staff Vice-Admiral Syed Mohammad Ahsan...
and the Naval Observatory
Jinnah Naval Base
Jinnah Naval Base is located at Ormara, Balochistan, Pakistan. Jinnah Naval Base is a Pakistan Naval support marine and naval research and development base which consists of a military airport and a space facility. The facility is under control of the Pakistan Navy. The base is named after...
was also at red-alert level providing electronic intelligence services to the Pakistan Armed Forces.
On May 25th, the preparations were completed by PAEC, and iron-steel tunnels were closed with mixed sand-cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
. On May 26, the iron-steel tunnels were electronically plugged, and on May 27th, ement had completely dried out due to the excessive heat of the summer desert as the engineers had certified that the concrete had hardened and the site was fit for the tests it was communicated to the Prime Minister via the GHQ that the site was ready. The Naval Observatory sat the time and date for operation's rendezvous with destiny was set for 15:00 p.m. on 28 May 1998.
On May 28th, the PAEC conducted a nuclear tests of five nuclear devices, exploded simultaneously, at 15:00 hours. This operation was named Chagai-I
Chagai-I
The Chagai-I was a codename referring to the five underground nuclear tests conducted by Pakistan at 15:15hrs in 28th May of 1998. It was named Chagai-I, as the tests were conducted in the Chagai District...
and all of these nuclear devices used HEU, evidently made from KRL
Kahuta Research Laboratories
The Khan Research Laboratories ,, formerly known as Engineering Research Laboratories , is a multi-program Pakistan's weapons science and engineering research and development institute and nuclear research facility...
, and had Beryllium reflectors.
After the tests, the Pakistan Government
Government of Pakistan
The Government of Pakistan is a federal parliamentary system, with an indirectly-elected President as the Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Pakistani Armed Forces, and an indirectly-elected Prime Minister as the Head of Government. The President’s appointment and term are...
did not issued any additional details about exact locations of where the tests were performed. Chagai Hills is an extensive and dangerous areas and the sites are not under the safeguards
IAEA safeguards
International Atomic Energy Association Safeguards is a system of inspection and verification of the peaceful uses of nuclear materials as part of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty , supervised by the International Atomic Energy Agency....
or inspections of the International Atomic Energy Agency
International Atomic Energy Agency
The International Atomic Energy Agency is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. The IAEA was established as an autonomous organization on 29 July 1957...
(IAEA).