Three Days and three earthquakes: Pakistan conducting nuclear tests secretly? Experts...

New Delhi: From April 2024 to October 2024, the tensions between Iran and Israel were at their height and both the countries had launched massive drone, missile, and air strikes on each other. During the same time, a series of low intensity earthquakes was reported Iran. At that time, it was speculated that Tehran conducted underground nuclear tests and these earthquakes were caused by the energy that was unleashed from under the ground.
Now, amid the Operation Sindoor launched by India against Pakistan to avenge the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack, a low intensity earthquake was reported from Pakistan. Two more were reported on consecutive days including after the announcement of the ceasefire.
Three earthquakes in three days.
Now this was enough for the experts to speculate and question: Did Pakistan conduct nuclear tests? The seismic activity was centred largely in the northern and western regions of the country and it came at a time when India and Pakistan were almost on the brink of a war. Islamabad and New Delhi were already engaged in military operations initiated by the latter.
On Monday, May 12, Pakistan was hit by a 4.6 magnitude earthquake while it experienced two back-to-back earthquakes on May 10 morning, measuring 4.7 followed by a 4.0 magnitude tremor.
According to the geologists and meteorological experts, this was caused by tectonic movement in the seismically active Himalayan region, a common phenomenon in this zone. However, with the memories of the earthquakes in West Asia and these earthquakes have flooded the social media with conspiracy theories and other reasons.
Some observers are of the opinion that the tremors might be linked to covert nuclear testing. They refer to the May 1998 underground nuclear tests Pakistan conducted in the Chagai Hills, and such tests often result in seismic activity detectable on earthquake sensors.
O P Mishra, Director of the National Center for Seismology, dismissed the claims about possible nuclear tests conducted by Pakistan. 'Nuclear explosions have a distinct signature. A natural earthquake has two phases, while nuclear explosion has a distinct tertiary phase. This is due to reverberation of the surface following a nuclear explosion. Seismographs can detect this distinctly,' Mishra told PTI.
Veteran seismologist A K Shukla said that the nuclear explosions are recorded differently on seismographs. 'The previous earthquakes have been reported from different locations and it was not possible to have nuclear facilities spread across different regions,' Shukla said.
Pakistan lies along the active boundary between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates and provinces such as Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit-Baltistan are prone to frequent earthquakes.
Nevertheless, the timing of these earthquakes has left many wondering if this could be a Pakistani ploy to assert deterrence without overt escalation.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

News18

31 minutes ago

• News18

Not So ‘Nobel'? Why Pakistan's Push For Trump Reeks Of A Strategic Gamble

Last Updated: Official sources in India said Pakistan's move is aimed at strengthening ties with US, securing economic and technological support, and gaining American backing on Kashmir In a diplomatic move, Pakistan has formally nominated US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. Official sources within Pakistan's government have confirmed that the nomination stems from their belief that Trump played a pivotal role in defusing the tensions during the India-Pakistan crisis of May 2025. However, official sources in India told CNN-News18 that Pakistan's move is aimed at strengthening ties with the United States, securing economic and technological support, and gaining American backing for its position on the Kashmir dispute. Pakistan's Desperate Push The Nobel nomination comes after what Islamabad describes as Trump's 'decisive diplomatic intervention" in de-escalating the May 2025 crisis between India and Pakistan. Pakistani officials have credited Trump for averting what could have been a catastrophic nuclear conflict. 'This move is about acknowledging President Trump's key role in ensuring peace during a period of intense crisis," one official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. 'We believe that Trump's mediation was instrumental in averting escalation, and we are seeking international recognition of his contribution." However, this narrative has been categorically rejected by India. Indian government sources have expressed strong opposition to Pakistan's claims, dismissing them as factually incorrect and misleading. In an official statement, India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri rejected the suggestion that Trump mediated the crisis, stating, 'India did not seek or accept any third-party mediation during the crisis, and Pakistan's attempts to rewrite the history of the events are not based in reality." Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his public remarks, further dismissed Pakistan's narrative, refusing to engage with any external mediation efforts, including those from Trump. 'India has always managed its security concerns on its own and does not require the intervention of any third party," he said. This week, PM Modi also declined Trump's invite to visit the United States on his return journey from Canada, citing his pre-existing schedule. The development came as PM Modi spoke with Trump and set the record straight that India's 'Operation Sindoor' was 'paused" following a request from Pakistan and not due to mediation or offer of a trade deal by the US. According to official sources within the Indian government, the Indian leadership maintained full control over the crisis and managed it without any foreign involvement. Indian Defence Secretary RK Singh provided further details, telling a news agency: 'All communications during the crisis were thoroughly documented, including logs and records that make it clear that India initiated the calls. Any claims of third-party mediation are unfounded." Singh's comments were aimed at countering Pakistan's narrative, which has been widely disseminated in international forums and media. The Kashmir Angle Pakistan's push to nominate Trump is also linked to its long-standing goal of internationalising the Kashmir issue. Islamabad has consistently sought global support for its position on Kashmir, which India maintains is a bilateral issue to be resolved solely between the two countries. Indian government officials have made it clear that any third-party involvement in the Kashmir dispute is unacceptable. 'The Kashmir issue is a bilateral matter, and India will not tolerate any external interference," said a senior Ministry of External Affairs official, speaking on condition of anonymity. 'Pakistan's attempt to gain international support through this Nobel nomination is part of its ongoing campaign to internationalise Kashmir, which India has firmly rejected." In contrast, Pakistan has highlighted Trump's previous offers to mediate the Kashmir dispute as evidence of his willingness to involve himself in the issue. According to Pakistani diplomatic sources, this endorsement of Trump is aimed at pushing the United States to take a more active role in the region. Munir's Ambition The diplomatic push for the Nobel nomination has raised eyebrows in both Pakistan and India. There are reports that General Asim Munir, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, is positioning himself as a potential co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, alongside Trump. While this remains unconfirmed, Indian intelligence sources suggest that Munir's growing role in shaping Pakistan's foreign policy may be influencing the country's decision to publicly support Trump. 'Munir is an ambitious leader," said an Indian security analyst, 'and while the Nobel campaign may seem like a strategic move to secure Pakistani interests, it could also be a personal gambit to raise his own stature on the international stage." Interestingly, the nomination demand came after a rare White House meeting between Trump and Munir in which geo-political issues ranging from the Israel-Iran conflict, and Kashmir to defence purchasing were discussed. The Bigger Picture For Pakistan, the move is seen as a way to potentially gain economic concessions, technological transfers, and a softer US stance on its nuclear programme. In particular, Pakistan hopes that by aligning itself with Trump's leadership, it can secure American backing for its position on Kashmir, despite India's firm objections. top videos View all For India, however, the matter is a reminder that, despite Pakistan's claims, the Kashmir issue remains firmly within India's domain and will not be internationalised through external mediation. The coming months will reveal whether Pakistan's strategic gamble will pay off or whether it will simply be seen as a fleeting diplomatic gesture in the complex web of South Asian geopolitics. tags : Asim Munir donald trump Kashmir Nobel Prize pakistan United states Location : Islamabad, Pakistan First Published: June 21, 2025, 11:36 IST News world Not So 'Nobel'? Why Pakistan's Push For Trump Reeks Of A Strategic Gamble | Exclusive

Time of India

32 minutes ago

• Time of India

Iran TRAINS Advanced Missiles At Israel, Humiliates ‘Fake News' On Arsenal Stockpile

Indus Water War Heats Up: Now Omar Abdullah Refuses To Divert Water To Punjab, Congress Hits Back A fresh water dispute has erupted between Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab, just weeks after Punjab's clash with Haryana. This time, it's over the proposed 113 km canal to divert surplus Indus water from J&K to Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan to prevent it from flowing to Pakistan. J&K CM Omar Abdullah has rejected the idea, saying Jammu itself faces water scarcity. 'Why should I send water to Punjab?' he asked, reminding that Punjab already has three rivers under the Indus Waters Treaty. He also invoked the decades-old Shahpur Kandi barrage dispute, insisting J&K won't give up more water. Reacting sharply, Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa accused Abdullah of undermining Punjab's sacrifice and patriotism, pointing to Punjab's suffering during Operation Sindoor, saying 'Pakistan attacked Punjab more than Jammu & Kashmir.' The conflict exposes deeper fault lines in India's federal water-sharing model, raising questions of equity, national interest, and regional politics — especially with Pakistan watching closely as India attempts to control its Indus water allocations.#waterdispute #punjabvsjk #induswaters #shahpurkandi #operationsindoor #omarabdullah #sukhjinderrandhawa #toi #toibharat #bharat #breakingnews #indianews 6.0K views | 5 hours ago

Hans India

43 minutes ago

• Hans India

BJP-JD(U) ruined Bihar's economy and social fabric in last 20 years: Congress

Patna: Congress on Saturday slammed the BJP-JD(U) alliance in Bihar over 'ruining' the state's economy and social fabric in the last 20 years of their rule. 'The BJP-JD(U) alliance has ruined Bihar's economy, governance, and social fabric during their 20-year rule. This has been clearly proven by the reports of the reputed global institutions. That's why we've launched a campaign to expose how Bihar has suffered under Nitish Kumar's leadership,' said Congress spokesperson Prem Chand Mishra while addressing a press conference in Patna. As part of the campaign, Mishra cited a recent report by CARE Ratings, a global agency, which ranked Bihar last among 17 large Indian states on key development indicators. 'Bihar received just 34.8 points in the Social and Economic Development Index, scoring the lowest across parameters such as education, health, infrastructure, fiscal management, and economic activity,' Mishra said. Based on the CARE Ratings Report, Mishra pointed out that Bihar ranks 17th out of 17 major states on social and economic development. He said that poor performance in education quality, maternal and infant mortality rates, employment generation, weak scores on women empowerment, infrastructure, per capita income, alarming fiscal indicators, including debt management, interest payment ratio, fiscal deficit, severe deficiencies in electricity access, railway density, healthcare services, and school teacher ratios. He also said that the weak judicial efficiency, e-governance, investment environment, and environmental metrics are also poor, including air quality and renewable energy adoption. 'Bihar is now behind even Rajasthan, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh — states it once competed with. The figures speak for themselves, and corruption and poor governance are to blame,' Mishra said. He alleged that the government's much-publicised development narrative is hollow and lacks substance on the ground. Mishra added that even the Union government data contradicts the NDA's claims of progress. 'Bihar is in deep crisis, socially, economically, and administratively. The only way out is a change in government and a policy revolution,' he concluded. This marks a major strategic move by the Congress to build a data-backed campaign against the NDA ahead of the Assembly elections. With just four months to go, the party appears poised to corner the ruling alliance on its development record, particularly using central and global institutional reports as ammunition.