THE book, The Security Imperative: Pakistan’s Nuclear Deterrence and Diplomacy, by Zamir Akram has recently vanished without a trace from Amazon website after having been featured there for a few weeks.

The author is one of Pakistan’s most distinguished diplomats. He served his country with distinction for over 38 years in diverse countries and capacities. He was permanent representative at the United Nations in Geneva, and at other global platforms, rendering a leading role in multilateral negotiations on disarmament, human rights and humanitarian affairs. He is presently adviser to the Strategic Plans Division in Islamabad.

His book is a meticulously-researched, widely-referenced, invaluable narrative of why, when and how Pakistan was compelled to develop its nuclear weapons as a deterrent to India’s nuclear ambitions.

While several books have been written on Pakistan’s acquisition of nuclear weapons, most of them, particularly those published in the West and in India, reflect a hostile narrative that portrays Pakistan in largely villainous terms.

The Western-Indian narrative ignores the unwarranted introduction in South Asia by India of this vile menace, while India itself committed violation of undertakings given to other countries. This perspective always maligns Pakistan as an irresponsible proliferator.

In recent years, Americans of Indian origin have reached high tiers of decision-making in several global, American-owned information technology (IT) entities. A distinct pro-Indian bias thrives, mostly covertly.

From pages 246 to 256, the book lays bare how the 2005 United States-India nuclear deal and India’s illicit proliferation of missile technology escalated dangers to an unprecedented level in South Asia, and even globally. Page 263 onwards, the book identifies the strong possibility that India itself may have been a secret, indirect customer-beneficiary of the allegedly privately conducted nuclear proliferation attributed to Dr A.Q. Khan.

Scholars, diplomats and strategists in Pakistan and abroad have recorded their deep appreciation for the vast array of accurate information and insights in the book. The book and its publishing credits have been removed from the Amazon website, reportedly without any reason being provided.

This action is nothing but an assault on freedom of expression, and is a pitiable attempt to prevent sharing of irrefutable facts that implicate both India and the US in conducting discriminatory, clandestine activities that have increased nuclear weapon proliferation to endanger the whole world.

Western media and academia that espouse so robustly the principles of freedom of intellectual inquiry, research and publication, should record their protest at this infringement so that a vitally important forum like Amazon will make the book available again to interested readers around the world.

Former Senator Javed Jabbar
Karachi

Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2023