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National Command Authority

In April 1999 the Chief of Army Staff, General Pervez Musharraf, said the central command system to use nuclear and missile technology would be ready within one month. He said four broad components of the system are: i) the creation of a national command authority, ii) developmental control by a governing body, iii) strategic force command and iv) secretariat for all these three commands.

However, in point of fact this new military command and control structure was not implemented at that time. The unwillingness of the civilian leadership to take the military leadership into confidence on nuclear weapons control matters is said to have figured in the October 1999 military coup by General Musharraf.

Following the overthrow of the civilian government, on 02 February 2000 the National Security Council approved the establishment of the National Command Authority (NCA) to control policy on nuclear weapons. 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 which acts as its Secretariat.

• The Employment Control Committee is chaired by the head of the Government and include the Ministers of Foreign Affairs (Deputy Chaiman) Defence, Interior, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), Services Chiefs, Director-General of Strategic Plans Division (Secretary) technical advisers and others, as required by the Chairman.
• The Development Control Committee is also chaired by the head of Government and includes CJCSC (Deputy Chairman), Services Chiefs, Director-General of Strategic Plans Division and representatives of the strategic1organizations and, the scientific community. This Committee controls the development of strategic assets.
• The Strategic Plans Division, headed by a senior army officer, was established in the Joint Services Headquarters under the CJCSC to act as the Secretariat for the NCA and perform functions relating to planning, coordination, and establishment of a reliable command, control, communication, computers and intelligence network.

Sources and Resources

• National Command Authority established Associated Press of Pakistan 03 February 2000 -- National Security Council on Feb. 2 approved the establishment of National Command Authority (NCA). The meeting was chaired by the Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf. NCA will be responsible for policy formulation, and will exercise employment and development control over all strategic nuclear forces and strategic organizations.
• PAKISTAN - NUCLEAR Voice of America 03 February 2000 -- A brief statement issued in Islamabad says a National Command Authority has been established which will control all policies concerning nuclear weapons.

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