Nuclear, Missile and Defence Milestones of Pakistan

Pakistan's nuclear and defence achievements form a major recurring theme in general knowledge sections of LAT.

Nuclear Program:

• Pakistan's first Nuclear Power Plant was established at Karachi (commonly known as KANUPP), making it also Pakistan's oldest nuclear reactor.
• Pakistan's biggest nuclear power station is the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant.
• Pakistan conducted its first series of nuclear explosions in May 1998.
• The Atomic Energy Commission of Pakistan was established in 1955.
• Pakistan set up its first uranium mining and processing plant at Lakki Marwat.

Missiles and Rockets:

• The first rocket launched by Pakistan was named Rahbar.
• The Ghauri-I missile has a range of 1500 km.
• The Anza-III surface-to-surface missile was launched in 1999.

Nishan-i-Haider (Pakistan's highest military gallantry award):

• Pakistan's first Nishan-i-Haider was awarded in 1959.
• The youngest-ever recipient of the Nishan-i-Haider was Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas.
• The oldest recipient of the Nishan-i-Haider, at 44 years of age, was Major Tufail Muhammad.

Other defence facts:

• Siachen Glacier is the highest battlefield of Pakistan — and, in fact, of the entire world.
• In 2008, Pakistan deployed 60 trained women Rangers on the border for the first time.

Why it matters: Precise years (1955 Atomic Energy Commission, 1998 nuclear tests, 1999 Anza-III, 1959 first Nishan-i-Haider) and precise names (Rahbar the rocket, Rashid Minhas the youngest Nishan-i-Haider recipient) are exactly what gets tested.