Kharan Desert
Encyclopedia
The Kharan Desert is a sand desert situated in the Balochistan province of Pakistan.
Kharan desert is Pakistan's second nuclear test site, and the second nuclear test — Codename Chagai-II — was conducted and supervised by the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission
(PAEC) in May 30, 1998.
The desert is characterized by extremes of altitude and extreme temperatures in the desert. The Kharan Desert consists of shifting sand dunes with an underlying pebble-conglomerate floor. The moving dunes reach heights of between 15 and 30 meters. Level areas between the dunes are a hard-topped pan when dry and a treacherous, sandy-clay mush when wet. The altitudes of deserts slope from about 1,000m in the north to about 250m on in the south-west. Average annual rainfall throughout these deserts is well under 100 mm. The desert includes areas of inland drainage and dry lakes (hamuns). The area is known particularly for its constant mirages and sudden severe sandstorms.
's Brigadier-General Muhammad Sarfraz, who had provided support to the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission
(PAEC) survey team, was tasked by Prime minister
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
in 1977 with the creating the special military units. During this time, Chief of Army Staff General Zia-ul-Haq (later Chief Martial Law Administrator
) asked Brigadier-General Sarfraz to create and led the special military unit, called Special Development Works (SDW) which was entrusted with the task of preparing the nuclear test sites. Meetings between SDW and PAEC officials and General Zia-ul-Haq led to the decision to prepare a second site for a horizontal shaft. The site selected was located at Kharan, in a desert valley between the Ras Koh Hills to the north and Siahan Range
to the south. Subsequently, the Chagai Hills
-Ras Koh
-Kharan areas became restricted entry zones and were closed to the public.
The construction of Kharan Desert nuclear test site took 2–3 years to prepare and were completed in 1980, before Pakistan acquired the capability to develop a nuclear weapon. After the Brigadier General Sarfaraz, the task was assigned to lieutenant-general Zahid Ali Akbar Khan of Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers
(PACE), who was the head of then-Military Engineering Service, Corps of Engineers as well as Special Works Development (SDW). The task was undertaken by the Corps of Engineer's special military unit, Frontier Works Organization
(FWO), famous for its construction of Karakorum Highways. The FWO has uncredited work with PAEC's Chagai-II nuclear test site, and had supervised the complete construction on the sites along with SDW. The construction was supervised by the Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers's combat engineer then-Lieutenant-Colonel Zulfikar Ali Khan and the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission
under the leadership of Chairman Mr. Munir Ahmad Khan
who co-assigned this task to Member (Technical), PAEC
, Ishfaq Ahmad
.
was conducted and performed in the Kharan Desert on May 30th of 1998 under codename — Chagai-II — at 1310hrs
(1:10 p.m.) (PST
). The nuclear test device was a miniaturized boosted plutonium device yielding
60% of the Ras Koh Hills tests. The yield of a nuclear device was reported to be 18-20 kt of TNT equivalent
. A crater now takes the place of what used to be a small hillock in the rolling desert, marking the ground zero of the nuclear test there. The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (or PAEC) had tested one or more plutonium nuclear devices, and the results and data of the devices were successful as it was expected by the Pakistan's mathematicians and seismologists. The devices were successfully tested and supervised by PAEC's Chief Technical Member (CTM) Dr. Samar Mubarakmand
.
. The day is celebrated by giving awards (such as Chagai-Medal) to various individuals and industries in the field of science and industries. The Na Government also established the Chagai-I Medal and it was first awarded to the scientists of Pakistan in 1998 who were witnessed the tests. The graphite mountains are visibly shown in the gold medallion and equal ribbon stripes of yellow, red and white.
Kharan desert is Pakistan's second nuclear test site, and the second nuclear test — Codename Chagai-II — was conducted and supervised by 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 May 30, 1998.
The desert is characterized by extremes of altitude and extreme temperatures in the desert. The Kharan Desert consists of shifting sand dunes with an underlying pebble-conglomerate floor. The moving dunes reach heights of between 15 and 30 meters. Level areas between the dunes are a hard-topped pan when dry and a treacherous, sandy-clay mush when wet. The altitudes of deserts slope from about 1,000m in the north to about 250m on in the south-west. Average annual rainfall throughout these deserts is well under 100 mm. The desert includes areas of inland drainage and dry lakes (hamuns). The area is known particularly for its constant mirages and sudden severe sandstorms.
Nuclear tests
Pakistan ArmyPakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
's Brigadier-General Muhammad Sarfraz, who had provided support to 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) survey team, was tasked by 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...
Zulfikar Ali 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...
in 1977 with the creating the special military units. During this time, Chief of Army Staff General Zia-ul-Haq (later Chief Martial Law Administrator
Chief Martial Law Administrator
The office of the Chief Martial Law Administrator was a senior government post created in countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia that gave considerable executive authority and powers to the holder of the post to enforce martial law in the country. This office has been used mostly by...
) asked Brigadier-General Sarfraz to create and led the special military unit, called Special Development Works (SDW) which was entrusted with the task of preparing the nuclear test sites. Meetings between SDW and PAEC officials and General Zia-ul-Haq led to the decision to prepare a second site for a horizontal shaft. The site selected was located at Kharan, in a desert valley between the Ras Koh Hills to the north and Siahan Range
Siahan Range
The Siahan Range is a mountain range in the central part of Balochistan province of Pakistan.The Siahan Range is primarily made up of limestone and sandstone and was formed when the north western Indian Plate collided with the Eurasian Plate....
to the south. Subsequently, the Chagai Hills
Chagai Hills
The Chagai Hills is a range of granite hills in the Chagai District in Pakistan's Balochistan province.-Location:The Chagai Hills lie in a desert area in the northernmost part of Chagai District north of Pakistan's Ras Koh Hills and south of Afghanistan's Helmand and Nimruz provinces.- Topography...
-Ras Koh
Ras Koh
The Ras Koh Hills is a range of granite hills forming part of the Sulaiman Mountain Range in the Chagai District in Pakistan's Balochistan province. The word "Ras" means "gateway" and the word "Koh" means "mountain" in Urdu...
-Kharan areas became restricted entry zones and were closed to the public.
The construction of Kharan Desert nuclear test site took 2–3 years to prepare and were completed in 1980, before Pakistan acquired the capability to develop a nuclear weapon. After the Brigadier General Sarfaraz, the task was assigned to lieutenant-general Zahid Ali Akbar Khan of Pakistan Army 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...
(PACE), who was the head of then-Military Engineering Service, Corps of Engineers as well as Special Works Development (SDW). The task was undertaken by the Corps of Engineer's special military unit, Frontier Works Organization
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), famous for its construction of Karakorum Highways. The FWO has uncredited work with PAEC's Chagai-II nuclear test site, and had supervised the complete construction on the sites along with SDW. The construction was supervised by the Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers's combat engineer then-Lieutenant-Colonel Zulfikar Ali Khan and 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...
under the leadership of Chairman Mr. Munir 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...
who co-assigned this task to Member (Technical), 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...
, 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...
.
Chagai-II
A second nuclear testNuclear testing
Nuclear weapons tests are experiments carried out to determine the effectiveness, yield and explosive capability of nuclear weapons. Throughout the twentieth century, most nations that have developed nuclear weapons have tested them...
was conducted and performed in the Kharan Desert on May 30th of 1998 under codename — Chagai-II — at 1310hrs
Hour
The hour is a unit of measurement of time. In modern usage, an hour comprises 60 minutes, or 3,600 seconds...
(1:10 p.m.) (PST
Pakistan Standard Time
Pakistan Time is the time zone for Pakistan. It is 5 hours ahead of GMT/UTC .The only tz database zone is Asia/Karachi.-History:The current Pakistan time was set up at midnight between 29 September and 30 1951...
). The nuclear test device was a miniaturized boosted plutonium device yielding
Nuclear weapon yield
The explosive yield of a nuclear weapon is the amount of energy discharged when a nuclear weapon is detonated, expressed usually in the equivalent mass of trinitrotoluene , either in kilotons or megatons , but sometimes also in terajoules...
60% of the Ras Koh Hills tests. The yield of a nuclear device was reported to be 18-20 kt of TNT equivalent
TNT equivalent
TNT equivalent is a method of quantifying the energy released in explosions. The ton of TNT is a unit of energy equal to 4.184 gigajoules, which is approximately the amount of energy released in the detonation of one ton of TNT...
. A crater now takes the place of what used to be a small hillock in the rolling desert, marking the ground zero of the nuclear test there. The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (or PAEC) had tested one or more plutonium nuclear devices, and the results and data of the devices were successful as it was expected by the Pakistan's mathematicians and seismologists. The devices were successfully tested and supervised by PAEC's Chief Technical Member (CTM) Dr. Samar Mubarakmand
Samar Mubarakmand
Samar Mubarakmand , , is a Pakistani nuclear physicist, who served as the founding chairman of National Engineering and Scientific Commission from 2001 till 2007. Samar Mubarak-Mand launched the Missile Integration Programme in 1987 which was successfully completed in 2005...
.
Legacy
May 28th has been officially declared as Youm-e-Takbeer (Day of Greatness) and as well as National Science Day in Pakistan to commemorate and remembrance of the first five tests that were carried out in May 28, 1998. The day was officially signed by the then-Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz SharifNawaz 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...
. The day is celebrated by giving awards (such as Chagai-Medal) to various individuals and industries in the field of science and industries. The Na Government also established the Chagai-I Medal and it was first awarded to the scientists of Pakistan in 1998 who were witnessed the tests. The graphite mountains are visibly shown in the gold medallion and equal ribbon stripes of yellow, red and white.
Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission
- Samar MubarakmandSamar MubarakmandSamar Mubarakmand , , is a Pakistani nuclear physicist, who served as the founding chairman of National Engineering and Scientific Commission from 2001 till 2007. Samar Mubarak-Mand launched the Missile Integration Programme in 1987 which was successfully completed in 2005...
, Member (Technical), Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission. - Muhammad Hafeez QureshiMuhammad Hafeez QureshiMuhammad Hafeez Qureshi , Neuclear Physics. SI, HI, , also known as Hafeez Qureshi, was a Pakistani Nuclear Scientist...
, Head of Directorate of Technical Development (DTD) - Irfan Burney, Director of Directorate of Technical Procurement (DTP).
- Tariq Salija, Director of the Radiation and Istope Applications Division (RIAD).
- Muhammad Jameel, Director of Directorate of Science and Engineering Services (DSES)
- Muhammad Arshad, the Chief Scientific Officer (CSO).
- Tasneem ShahTasneem M. ShahTasneem M. Shah, Ph.D., SI, TI, is a Pakistani scientist and a prominent mathematician who has made pioneering and instrumental research and contributions to the field of computational fluid dynamics at Dr. A. Q. Khan Research Laboratories...
, Director of Computational Fluid Dynamics Division, KRL, (CFDD)
Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers
- Lieutenant GeneralLieutenant GeneralLieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Zulfikar Ali Khan- Engineer-in-ChiefEngineer-in-Chief (Pakistan Army)Engineer-in-Chief or E-in-C, is a Colonel Commandant of the Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers, Frontier Works Organisation and the Military Engineering Services of Pakistan...
of the System and Combat EngineeringCombat engineeringA combat engineer, also called pioneer or sapper in many armies, is a soldier who performs a variety of construction and demolition tasks under combat conditions...
Division of the Pakistan Army Corps of EngineersPakistan ArmyThe Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...