Pakistan National Command Authority
Encyclopedia
The National Command Authority (NCA) of Pakistan
is a Pakistan government organization tasked with the command and control of Pakistan's strategic nuclear forces and strategic organizations.
The NCA is also responsible for policy formulation and the exercise of employment and development control over Pakistan's nuclear weapons and nuclear weapons programme
.
The Director-General of the NCA's Strategic Plans Division (SPD) is the ex officio Secretary of the NCA and the SPD functions as the NCA's secretariat.
Decision making in the NCA takes place through consensus and, in the event that consensus is not achieved, then through voting, with each member having a single vote.
s, codename Chagai-I
and Chagai-II, on May 28th and May 30 of 1998 in Ras Koh Hills
, District Chagai
and Kharan Desert
of the Balochistan Province. In April 1999, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee
and the Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Army
General Pervez Musharraff developed a unified central command system to use nuclear and missile technology.
The NCA was formally established on February 2, 2000 after approval by Pakistan's National Security Council
.
Since then, the National Command Authority is responsible for policy formulation and will exercise employment and development control over all strategic nuclear forces and strategic organizations. It consists of an Employment Control Committee and a Development Control Committee, as well as the Strategic Plans Division (SPD) which acts as its Secretariat. The Strategic Plans Division is responsible for the management and administration of the country's tactical and strategic nuclear weapons stockpile. It was created the same year as the NCA was formed.
Their directives are to be operationalized by a new Strategic Plans Division (SPD) under the control of a director-general of the rank of Lieutenant-General (Air Marshal
or Vice-Admiral) in charge of the management and administration of the tactical and strategic nuclear forces. The current director-general of the SPD is Lieutenant-General (retired) Khalid Kidwai
Since its establishment, General Pervez Musharraf, as President
, had served its first chairman. However, after the 2008 General Elections
, the Pakistani lawmakers introduced a new law which was passed unanimously by the Parliament. The bill placed the NCA's Authority under PM
’s command.
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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...
is a Pakistan government organization tasked with the command and control of Pakistan's strategic nuclear forces and strategic organizations.
The NCA is also responsible for policy formulation and the exercise of employment and development control over Pakistan's nuclear weapons and nuclear weapons programme
Pakistan and weapons of mass destruction
Pakistan began focusing on nuclear weapons development in January 1972 under the leadership of Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, who delegated the program to the Chairman of PAEC Munir Ahmad Khan...
.
Organizational structure
The NCA consists of the following nine ex officio members:- Prime Minister (who is the ex officio Chairman)
- Minister of Foreign Affairs
- Minister of Defence
- Minister of Finance
- Minister of Interior
- Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee
- Chief of the Army Staff
- Chief of the Naval Staff
- Chief of the Air Staff
The Director-General of the NCA's Strategic Plans Division (SPD) is the ex officio Secretary of the NCA and the SPD functions as the NCA's secretariat.
Decision making in the NCA takes place through consensus and, in the event that consensus is not achieved, then through voting, with each member having a single vote.
Background
The Government of Pakistan felt the need to establish an administrative authority after Pakistan's first 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...
s, codename 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 Chagai-II, on May 28th and May 30 of 1998 in Ras Koh 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...
, District Chagai
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....
and Kharan Desert
Kharan Desert
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 in May 30, 1998.The desert is...
of the Balochistan Province. In April 1999, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee
Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Pakistan
The Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee , is a military administrative body of high-ranking and senior uniformed military leaders and officers in the Pakistan Defense Forces who advises the civilian Government of Pakistan, National Security Council, and Defence Minister on important military matters...
and the Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Army
Pakistan 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...
General Pervez Musharraff developed a unified central command system to use nuclear and missile technology.
The NCA was formally established on February 2, 2000 after approval by Pakistan's 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...
.
Since then, the National Command Authority is responsible for policy formulation and will exercise employment and development control over all strategic nuclear forces and strategic organizations. It consists of an Employment Control Committee and a Development Control Committee, as well as the Strategic Plans Division (SPD) which acts as its Secretariat. The Strategic Plans Division is responsible for the management and administration of the country's tactical and strategic nuclear weapons stockpile. It was created the same year as the NCA was formed.
Their directives are to be operationalized by a new Strategic Plans Division (SPD) under the control of a director-general of the rank of Lieutenant-General (Air Marshal
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
or Vice-Admiral) in charge of the management and administration of the tactical and strategic nuclear forces. The current director-general of the SPD is Lieutenant-General (retired) Khalid Kidwai
Since its establishment, General Pervez Musharraf, as President
President of Pakistan
The President of Pakistan is the head of state, as well as figurehead, of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Recently passed an XVIII Amendment , Pakistan has a parliamentary democratic system of government. According to the Constitution, the President is chosen by the Electoral College to serve a...
, had served its first chairman. However, after the 2008 General Elections
Pakistani general election, 2008
A general election was held in Pakistan on 18 February 2008, after being postponed from 8 January 2008. The original date was intended to elect members of the National Assembly of Pakistan, the lower house of the Majlis-e-Shoora...
, the Pakistani lawmakers introduced a new law which was passed unanimously by the Parliament. The bill placed the NCA's Authority under PM
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...
’s command.
External links
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