Morality is relative to time. Just because something is allowed or even ecouraged in Quran does not necessarily mean that it is moral according to today's times. Please try and understand Quran in its historical context. If this is not the case, then you should have slaves and concubines also.

How the hell he know about nuclear. He is just down right puppet of US and India

Sorry Dear, All Indo-Pak wars started by Pakistan ( if you don't agree, then you have read and watch famous Pakistani Journalist videos ), India had a Bomb from 70's. Since Pakistan always in denial mode for every thing. India wanted to confirm if Pak possess Bomb. India tested ,Pakistan followed, Both got Sanctions India survived because of its strength and sanctions removed and nuclear Business started with world. But Pakistan has not recovered since then.

Correction to my above statement - it should read: "Our war is not as Cold as the United States enjoyed with the Soviet Union"

Professor's message is very loud, simple and clear. Bomb is definitely immoral regardless of whether it's Pakistan, India, Israel or the US. As long as we have it, there is always a probability of its being used. What is the point of keeping something that brings only the destruction! It's very existence is not only against the fundamentals of any religion but also a real threat to humanity and all living creatures on this planet whom the God does allows us to destroy. We have no right. Do we really want the catastrophic event happening anywhere in the World? If we are honest to ourselves, the answer is definitely a big "NO". What we need to do is to spread Love & Peace and be the voice of those who want to eliminate this threat forever!

Exactly........so Iran and Pakistan can also have it if US can.

But it is true. What makes you think it isn't?

Actually even according to Quran, indiscriminate killing of the enemy is not allowed. For example, muslim army cannot destroy the crops of its enemy, or kill women/children/elderly that are not able or willing to fight. On the other hand, nuclear bomb is a weapon of indiscriminate killing. Its not even possible to limit its effects to a small isolated region, and its intended use is to kill the masses. Thus, it is immoral even according to Islamic teachings.

please convince india first

Pak bomb is meant to defend a particular section of society who have nothing in common with the mainstream population. Now they are planning to build a new city in Kutta island so that they can rule by remotecontrol and no one can reach them.....native colonialism at its best.

He is Jewish linked. The Pakistani nuclear program is a hoax. We have no Uranium of our own, if we had genuine nuclear weapons U.S. Marines would not be in our land.

We developed nothing!We stole the technology from other countries!

Agree 100% with only sane person in Pakistan -- the BOMB is indeed immoral -- because it is a DRONE for SELF immolation -- a weapon system for collective suicide.

Do't look back. Think about future.

Unfortunately what he says is true. Particularly the part that our traditions and culture make us an obedient society. We really need to open our eyes, but with our current and past political setup, the dream seems to be only that i.e. dream. May Allah wake up from this deep sleep.

This is just a part of Mr. Hoodbhoy's carefully crafted strategy to promote himself and gain favor with his foreign backers. He could care less about Pakistan's defense. If Pakistan was to fall or disintegrate he is assured of a hero's welcome in India and some western countries, and that is all he cares about. What has he achieved with his PhD in Nuclear Physics? He is one of those Nuclear Physicists who was cultivated in United States for the sole purpose of politicising Pakistans Nuclear project. He was handed his Nuclear Physics degree more for his political statements against Pakistans nuclear bomb project than for any great research on Nuclear Physics. No country in the World, especially United States would tolerate one of its citizens to attack its defense program during a State of War (We are in a State of war if you consider that during the Soviet era the United States considered itself in a State of "Cold" War with the Soviets), our war with India is not as Cold as the United States enjoyed with India and we are confronted by an enemy that is 8 times our size and has an economy which 30 to 40 times the size of our economy which it can use to out-build our conventional forces. Had he been a U.S. Citizen in the 1960's who opposed United States nuclear program, he would have simply vanished.

Thank you Dawn for this reporting. It is a small wonder that it is still possible to speak freely in Pakistan against the Religious fundamentalists. Even so, It must take a lot of conviction and courage to do so. On this side of the Line we have only Hot Air and little reasoned Public Discourse and again Thank You Dawn.

Yousuf, Hi! I see your point. Creativity and intent doesnt happen as a logical sequence, like a neat chain of cause and effect- it can begin anywhere including India. I hope to see the intent come alive and strong in India and have an imapct for all of us.

like millions others, you still live in the 5th century.

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" - Oppenheimer on the 1st atomic bomb explosion. Oppenheimer, Einstein, Szilard all struggled against the use of nuclear energy as weapons. Nuclear weapons cause instant and massive human loss. How can the possession of such a weapon ever be anything but immoral? Also, the state of science is not just bad in Pakistan but also at an embarrassing level throughout the entire so-called Muslim world. A few years ago there was a BBC panel discussion at the American University of Sharjah about the role of Science and Islam. All the scientists present unequivocally agreed that one of the main reasons we don't see many Muslim or Arab scientists was because we're taught from a very young age not to question and to believe everything our elders tell us. When you have a culture that stifles curiosity, the corner stone of science, you will naturally have more & more people succumb to dogma (of all types, be it religious or any other.) We teach our kids to memorize and measure intelligence by how much one can memorize. We don't care about critical thinking and do very little to foster curiosity.

Its good to see that Dr. Hoodbhoy has accepted Irans position on immorality of N bomb. All countries my get rid of this menace.

OK, so what does he suggest we should do with the bomb now: dispose it? Hand it over the US?

true nobody in america would have dared to say anything about their arsenal of bombs ,neither in india and here we are that folk like him are not only promoted and appreciated rather than kicked out of this country like any other country in the world would have done it.people appreciate and be proud of their bombs and scientists but we as nation are too much to tolerate such hired folks

No. Disturbing peace on earth is not allowed as per Quran.

you know americans were not superpower and so much well off before 2nd world war and after having bombs both india and pakistan have avoided wars and thus destruction so save alot which would have been used up in wars

Globally, of coursae.

mo are you in your sense

Dear Zia, You have said everything I wanted to say. Mr. Hoodbhoy is one of the very few people in Pakistan who make perfect sense to me in everything he says. Why do we not have people like him at the forefront of our policy making?. This son of Pakistan is making every Pakistani proud.

true patriot to make this nation subdued and succumb to other countries like india and america.It is this atomic bomb which have deterred india to attack us and thus have avoided wars and yet this guy want us to get rid of our own survival.can he ask india and other nuclear nations to get rid of their arsenal of atomic bombs

talha,atom bomb destroy true but if we donot have atom bomb ,we will be destroyed by nations who have it.do you get it

syed,you said it all reflecting nations feeling

so musich,have some critical thinking and imagine we would have been wiped out by india if we donot have atom bomb.if you cannot think critically then have some common sense which is obviosy not so common atleast in your case

do you have any gray matter,I guess not

Unfortunately, what Dr. Hoodbhoy said is the truth - it will take another catastrophe, before the world comes to it's senses. This arms race has already taken its toll - with several countries not having enough money to feed its people, and yet, spending billions on nuclear weapons. If you ask any sane person if this is the outcome they want to see and the answer would be absolutely not! and yet, this is the direction we are taking. So sad!

why pick only pakistan and all qualms of morality is for pakistan only no matter how immoral other nuclear nations are

nuclear disarmament!

We all want nuclear free world, but that can only happen if those who led the world into it now lead the world to get rid of it. I mean it has to start from USA, then Russia and followed by other countries. USA is so powerful militarily that they can have strong defense without nuclear power. So they should lead the way into nuclear free world. But, like it would ever happen...

He is one of those, whose vested interest of secular ism is in danger, self center ism, denial of truth, justification of corruption on mega scale without any accountability by few powerful

Religion clouds one's mind as most of us do not understand what is writen in the religious scriptures. Most of us depend upon the interpretation put up by the so called religious scholars who themeselves are mostly illeterate and have very little knowledge of the subject.

I agree with you. Now police, Judiciary and Politicians all are afraid off of Talbans

The man speaks a lot of sense....

with reasons of secular ism, self center ism, non sense.

So is secular ism, denial of truth absolute, and a reason to have a atomic bomb to shelter self, from criminality of collective secularism self center ism of criminal nations.

agree 100%.

We should be a forward looking nation rather than backward looking. We were the lucky few to develop the technology, rest are desperately trying. Please be proud of what you have. The bomb is real and hare to stay. Morality comes into question when you use the wepon on innocent and not in keeping it. Only example of that is US bombing Japan. Please stop living in the past and focus on more burning issues like corruption, education and justice. Stop hiding behind the bomb.

It's tiresome to hear the constant whine of critical views, but the reality is within Pakistan you have a self defeating system that strangles any chance of honest scientific work. Anyone with 2 ounces of grey matter leaves, leaving behind a crowd of idiots and corrupt people. And these are the people who may control the button for your Nukes. I shudder to think what will happen.

If Pakistan did not have Nuclear bombs , It would have faced a worse sitiuation than Iraq.

The guy makes good sense. So, there are people like us who think that way in Pakistan even today. Every one in this country is not a Mullah, Maulvi, etc

what makes u say more bangladesh cant be created yet from existing pakistan ?

the easiest and fastest way to become popular,is to say something against islam, or pakistan, everyone in the world will appreciate u,,this is not the first time, plz tell us what or who will be your next target,,Oh i can guess it will be about poor pakistan.

It was needed for Pakistan to develop a nuclear deterrent to meet India's nuclear capacity. If Pakistan would not have nuclear capability we would have seen more Bangladesh created.

All of them stole it one way or another (Black mail, Kidnapping, Pay off) Pakistan is not the only one.Stealing can get you so far,let us give credit to those hard working scientists, technicians and the dedicated managers who put it altogether.Moving ahead though,let us hope that we and all of the other Nuclear countries have safeguards in place, and show the maturity, restraint and the moral courage to use this technology, only for peaceful purposes.

why cannot immorality of other atomic nations is seen by this writer and why cannot he lectures the other nations to keep piling and hoarding all kinds of destructive weapons because he is a hired person by one of those nations

Nuclear weapons are indeed immoral, what is more immoral is for some to have it and for some to not have it.

The Bomb is definitely immoral - but for all the countries who posses the nuclear capability. I think Dr. Hoodbhoy is looking for an immidiate promotion after landing a job at UN.

I am against any type of killing, because we are Allah's ashrafull maqluqat , and as a muslim , if we are followers of Mohammad peace be upon him and other prophet, they set the example for us to how to treat other human being even though they are your worst enemy and we have many example set by our beloved prophet , if we are true followers of prophet Mohammad may allah peace be upon him, our actions as a muslim set the example for other nation that Islam is really peace full religion, stay peace full does not mean, we are not brave or we muslim can not defend. Pakistan is a muslim country and whenever we heard about muslim killing each other or corruption in muslim country, we as a muslim very shamefull infront of non muslim

Sir, thank you for sharing your thoughts openly and with clarity. I am an Indian and like you, I wish to see a world with nuclear weapons - we have to move beyond the way we are conditioned and programmed at present to create a region and a world without nuclear weapons - as citizens of a region such as South Asia and as a part of humanity, we have the capacity and creativity to make this happen. I pray that the path will show itself to us soon - this is an urgent matter. True leadership of people and nations is not in accquring more weapons and but to surrender to a vision for the survival of humaity and the earth.

Bomb is immoral or not it is the need of hour; everybody has it we need to have it.

Part 1 of his talk: Completely, absolutely greed. Part-2: Unsure what he means by looking into past? Part-3: Please don't portray/imply Talibans as Islam's flag careers. They are just a bunch of hooligans, trying to achieve their political gains using Islam. Please don't blame Islam for all the 'bads' of the world. We all know you love to do that in your hidden ways/words, without having the courage to say it openly. Part-4: Completely, absolutely agreed. Part-5: Let's hope the humanity learns without a terrible event.

True the bomb is immoral, But only in the context of Pakistan or Globally ??

I fully agree with him, The bomb has no futur but it is a liabilty!!!

Very well said, but you need to start a movement in India. After all India started this race in the subcontinent.

Looking into the past means subscribing to some mythical representation of the past and seeking to recreate the myth. Its living in denial and represents an escapism because its current civilization has been defeated by a better and superior Order. Pakistan has no basis to exist.

to exist and to survive with an idea we require barricades of sorts reciprocally powerful to the idea

In Pakistani soceity & its constitution, what is moral and what is immoral is defined by our religion. And in religion keeping arms to defend oneself against non-beleivers is not only allowed, it is encouraged in the Quran. It is directly mentioned to have fresh (untired) set of horses ready for war and so that your enemy knows your readiness for war so they dont attack you. Hence giving us a policy to maintain deterrence.

Well good Doctor and Ayat Ullah Khameni are on the same page, regarding the bomb, we need more concesus among the ummah

If Bomb is immorality, Then all nations those keep Bomb are Immoral, which is not true

Well this was a good note for the those who find champions in destruction. The state of science in Pakistan is pathetic as the thought is diverting towards heretic approach to religion which is destroying the very fabric of a Pakistani society. We find salvation in the past which has no meaning these days one must look forward and adopt a moral obligation to our society. I am so much ashamed of talking about Talibans who now rest at the core of Pakistani politics - their fear has spread cowardice among the leaders of this nation. You cannot expect education developing the face of threat - how you can talk of a progressive nation which rests its arm on religious bigotry. I do not see any change in any new set up unless it comes out of the shadows repression.

My Friend please dont confuse the subject. If our elected govenment is corrupt and their own representative (Chairman NAB) has accepeted 12billion corruption each day - do you honestly believe that the amount we will save from R&D of our nuclear program will be utilized for promotion of Scientific R&D or Education. Wake up please. Dr. Hoodbhoy obviously has an agenda and you can very well see his views on subjects beyond his expertise. Every one has a right of opinion, but when you realize that the opinion is based on some vested interest, one should disagree and let it be known

For Professor Sahib, it is immoral first and foremost for Pakistan and then for anyone else. If you have listened to/read his earlier views, he would rarely mention 'the bomb immorality' of any country other then Pakistan. His only target was Pakistan. However, now he has changed his stance to make his views 'look' more patriotic and unbiased. The title of his recent book 'Confronting the Bomb' comes from an earlier book published by Stanford University Press: Confronting the Bomb, by Lawrence S. Wittner. This says all about our great Professor Sahib.

Mr. Khurram, if non believers in Islam do not harm to believers of Islam, then too keeping arm is not only allowed, but encouraged in Quran to grow the Islam?

This guy makes lot of sense.Countries lie Pakistan,India and Iran should focus on poverty and other pressing issues.Having Bomb for 38 years hasn't made any difference in the life of Indians.On the contrary, precious resources are frittered away in a mindless pursuit of elusive security.Same money could have been utilized to upgrade Railways,roads,Airports,schools and colleges.Of course,you can be sure that we'll never learn from our mistakes.Nor would Pakistanis.Its the same DNA.[Even tough some Pakistanis of late have started to link their ancestry with Arabs in which case its even more hopeless].

I am kinda surprised that Dr Hoodbhoy, who probably understands complex systems and Chaos theory better than all of us in the comment section combined, blamed the downfall of a country to 1 man - Zia. Not that I disagree with his take but pointing just to Zia, is too simplistic for Dr Hoodbhoy's standards. Also, many Pakistanis call Dr Hoodbhoy call an athiest. I hear him and he sound more muslim to me than a typical muslim. What am I missing?

We don.t live in a world where rules are made on the basis of morality but realpolitik. Therefore the basis of Dr Hoodhboy's argument is redundant.

Dear Mr. Jamshed Khan, not sure what is the objective of your abstract paragraph. One thing comes quite clearly and that is your hatred for "The Professor Sahib". Was there anything else of substance you wanted to convey?.

"The bomb (nuclear) is immoral" What about the home made little bombs which kill the innocent civilians?

Thats why Professor DR Abdus Salam did not want to have anything to do with Pakistani Atomic Bomb project. Atomic bombs do not educate ,feed or give jobs to a nation. They are a liability not an asset. Pakistan cannot fight Malaria,dysentery,typhus,hepatitis illiteracy,unemployment,power deficit ,So,what do we need an atomic bomb for ?

Nuclear weapons are immoral by any stretch of imagination. I don't understand why people justify them on the basis of religion or reciprocity (if the US, Israel or India has it, we'd have it). (For argument's sake, the US, India or Israel has higher levels of education and we don't have it. Why not emphasize it instead of bomb.) These devices kill people and anything which kills people is, by its nature, immoral. Any creed or ideology which champions it is immoral as well. The reasoning that two wrongs can make a thing right is absurd and must be discarded.

Pervez Hood has said his truth being an Indian agent. He has always belittle the very existence of Pakistan and efforts of Quaid E Azam, Iqbal and others.

"And in religion keeping arms to defend oneself against non-beleivers is not only allowed, it is encouraged in the Quran." What a pathetic explanation. it is statements like these that misinterpret Quran and as a consequence defame religion.

Took the words right out of my mouth!

Mr pervez is always critical of achievement of dr aq khan for example i quote what he said in a lecture in washington dc, usa that aq khan is not a scientist, he is a bomb maker. We dont care about your thoughts of him . But we do know one thing for sure that he gave pakistanrespect, safety,on the other you did nothing but criticism.Mr pervez do something for pakistan And stop crticising AQkhans achievements. Mr khan is a hero and you are zero

I am dumbfounded by your logic. Sorry but your argument is of middle school level. Having a bomb is immoral cause it creates excessive amount of destruction. No code of morality approves of this neither Islamic nor Secular (make your pick). Having nuclear weapons is a bad choice for any nation.

Kindly explain to me who taught you Quran? Islam, during war there are multitude of laws that protect unarmed, civilians, women and children, elderly. How does a Nuclear bomb comply with these rules. I am sorry but you are altering Quran and Shariah on this.

Everyone also has a higher standards of education, everyone else is also aiming for free healthcare, everyone else is also aiming for equality of sexes and protecting the minorities. How are you faring on those standards?

It is a great mistake for a nation to not prepare for war and his enemies in a hope to portray itself as peaceful nation. He becomes a yummy pie inviting everybody to invade them. Nothing in the world can be perfect, so better equipping yourself to face the odds, in fact realities of the world

China gave us few nuclear bombs. Paradoxically both China and Parvez are very close to the Jews.

True Bomb is be immoral but Pakistan needs Nucaler Wespons to maintain minimum deterrance though I wish no state in world should use it. Better to use Nuclear technology for peacful purpose like power generation, medical use etc

I totally disagree with Mr Hoodbhoy. I believe in being prepared to defend against the enemy. Fact remains that Pakistan & India are not at best of terms so if Pakistan had not achieved nuclear capabilty what would have stopped India from threatining Pakistan. The only reason Soviet Union & USA did not got war was because they both knew their will be mutual destruction.

Correction to my comments (above) on the planet.... it's against God's will and we have no right to destroy the beauty and creation of God!

That is precisely why religion MUST NOT be defining anything anymore in the civilized world.

This is precisely why religion MUST NOT be defining anything anymore in the civilized world!

Have you really studied history of Islam beyond what was taught to you by your parents and public scholl's Islamiat book?

Is this guy a Pakistani or an American sell out? He needs to be arrested and charged with treachery

you should borrow some sanity from hoodbhoy then...

Having a point of view different from yours does not make you a traitor, although that's what ghairat brigade would have you believe. Hodhbhoy is a true patriot.

The rare voice of sanity in this vast cacophony of backwardness and ignorance...May Zia ul Haq feel the pain of every death happening in the name of religion our country

qaiser must be a drop out of middle school

so zeeshan you want to be destroyed indiscriminately by others

yes amir keeping arms is allowed in islam so that nobody dare to destroy you and if somebody try to destroy ,you can defend,what wrong in this .

but secularism allowed americans to destroy japan

and your love for the prof and hate for pak mr khalid

qaiser,we have achieved one goal,we will achieve others as well soon

Pakistan and India were dead even economically in 2006 to mid 2007. Then we were bitten by corruption under the guise of democracy. Read Hoodbhoy's article why corruption is not so bad. Three cheers for corruption Hip Hip Hoodbhoy.

I guess Canada also needs Nuclear Weapons to maintain 'deterrence' against its southern neighbor.

Grow up kiddo...May God bless you and every human..

Faiz Ahmad Faiz's most overtly political Ghazal, Hum Jo Tareek Rahon Mea Mara Gaye was written about an American Jewish couple who spied for Soviet Union for the nuclear secret. I think Faiz sahib has correctly identified the breaking of the Anglo-Saxon monopoly on the nuclear weapons as the most momentous event of the 20th century.. This is what kept the Cold-war cold for a generation and has kept the peace between the two Koreas, not to mention between us and our neighbor with it's global power fantasies, see what they are doing in Sri Lanka and Maldives.

I would personally consider India less of a threat then then some other country that is protected by distance. We have faced more violations of our border and soverignity by the US then any other country of the world. The Bomb may be immoral, but it is a dire necessity along with foolproof ability to strike anywhere in the world to ensure our survival.

He is suggesting nuclear freeze to which India would never agree. In theory I agree with PHB and I have lot for respect for him. He represented Pakistan well while he was in the US. We should avoid questioning peoples loyalty. I was opposed to exploding bomb as I am against violence and wars. However the bomb has saved us from conventional attacks from India on at least two occasions if not more. One was in 1987 when a state of emergency was declared(NOT in the news media). All the medical doctors were asked to report for the possible duty and I did and that was How I came to know about it. I grew up hating India but that was then. I am all for peace between the two countries and wish both could exist like US and Canada.

Where is the morality in the world today? If Iraq and Afghanistan had Nuclear bombs, Americans would not dare to attack them. Why the Americans do not attack the North Korea?. The bomb is there and the Americans are not so brave to attack a nuclear power. Hoodbhoy knows all this but still his lectures against the Pakistani bomb are not understandable.

give this type of moral lectures to the American butchers.

good answer.

I agree with Prof Hoodbhoy. The bomb is definitely immoral. It is important that India and Paksitan build mutual trust based upon the rationale that what is beneficial for you is also the same for me. In other words your interests will be as much as mine as my interests would be yours. Once we reach this understanding. The bomb will definitely go and South Asia can show the entire world that yes we can.

our nuclear weapons program is a hoax and we received a couple of bombs from our chinese brothers. both hoodbhoy and china are strongly jewish backed. thus we damn care.

USSR has plenty of nukes even match with USA still it desintegrate in to 10 country. Why ?? If you find answer let me know. They did peacefully what about Pakistan ???

How many Pakistanis understand what he is talking about? Do you?

By your logic, when Professor sahib is criticising Pakistan, Islam and Muslims, it is because of his hatred for them all. I am not blinded by Professor sahib's smooth talks; I can see right through him. What he is doing is called self-promotion and what you are doing is called blindly following a blind.

Scince is in not prgressing in Pakistan by any measure. India made a significant impovement in science while under Oxford Graduate Mr Singh.

A reasonable man living in an unreasonable society. The problem with India and Pakistan is not that we have bombs but that we have an abundance of illiteracy. The only reason you have someone like Pervez make comments like these (even though, suprise, he is a Muslim) is that he is a deeply rational and scientific person. I do not know him but he is driven by reason. Faith and scripture are not his animating vectors. What we need in India and Pakistan is a twenty year mutual agreement to invest in secular education, science, and technology. We need at least one or two generations not immersed in dogma of faith. Religion has messed up more than we openly admit but the priestly class needs to be relegated to the back seat.