New Delhi: Former CIA officer John Kiriakou has made a dramatic and controversial claim that Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal is effectively under the command of an American general, an arrangement he alleges was established by the Pakistani government itself, according to media reports.
According to Kiriakou, this unprecedented level of US oversight has significantly reduced the nuclear threat in South Asia and may be a key reason why India has “backed off” from escalating conflicts with Pakistan in recent years. Kiriakou, who served as a CIA counterterrorism operative in Pakistan, stated in a widely circulated video that a senior Pakistani army general personally disclosed this arrangement to him. He claims that the command and control of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, estimated at over 170 warheads, is not solely in Pakistani hands but is overseen by an American general.
This assertion, if true, would mark a significant shift in the regional security architecture and strategic calculus of both India and Pakistan, fundamentally altering the balance of power and the nature of nuclear deterrence in South Asia.
The timing of Kiriakou’s claim coincides with new revelations about India’s Operation Sindoor, in which a BRAHMOS missile reportedly struck Pakistan’s high-security Nur Khan airbase—located just over a mile from the headquarters of Pakistan’s Strategic Plans Division (SPD), the nerve centre of its nuclear command.
Pakistani officials, including Rana Sanaullah, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, have confirmed the missile strike, noting that it threw Islamabad into “panic mode” due to uncertainty over whether the missile carried a nuclear payload. Satellite imagery has shown extensive damage to the airbase’s infrastructure, highlighting the vulnerability of Pakistan’s strategic assets.
Kiriakou’s assertion suggests that US oversight of Pakistan’s nuclear command may have provided India with assurances about the security and control of Pakistan’s arsenal, reducing the risk of unauthorised or accidental use and thus lowering the incentive for escalation. This aligns with longstanding Indian concerns over the safety of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons, particularly given Pakistan’s history of political instability and the presence of extremist groups.
Officially, Pakistan’s nuclear weapons are controlled by the National Command Authority (NCA), chaired by the Prime Minister, with operational management by the Strategic Plans Division (SPD), a military body. The United States has provided assistance to Pakistan for nuclear security, including funding and equipment, but there is no independent or official verification supporting Kiriakou’s claim of direct American command. Pakistani authorities have consistently maintained that their nuclear arsenal is secure and under their exclusive control, and most independent analysts view Kiriakou’s statement with scepticism due to his controversial background and the lack of corroborating evidence.
Kiriakou himself is a contentious figure, known for exposing the CIA’s use of waterboarding and for being convicted in 2012 for leaking classified information, for which he served nearly two and a half years in prison. His history as a whistleblower adds complexity to the credibility of his latest claims.
John Kiriakou’s claim that an American general controls Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal remains unverified and highly controversial, with no official confirmation from either the US or Pakistani governments. The claim has, however, reignited debate over the security of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons and the delicate balance of power in South Asia.
