The federal government has declared a public holiday on May 28 to observe Youm-e-Takbeer Day. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized that Youm-e-Takbeer symbolizes national unity and the invincibility of Pakistan’s defense.
Youm-e-Takbeer, celebrated annually on May 28, marks the anniversary of Pakistan’s Chagai-I and Chagai-II nuclear tests. These tests, conducted on May 28, 1998, established Pakistan as the seventh nation globally and the first in the Muslim world to possess nuclear weapons, reinforcing its defense capabilities.
The day will be commemorated with great enthusiasm as it marks a pivotal moment when Pakistan became a nuclear power, ensuring maximum deterrence for peaceful purposes. This achievement was in line with former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s vision of developing nuclear capability, despite facing significant external pressure. It was the courageous decision of then Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif to proceed with the nuclear tests that balanced the strategic power in the region.
