"Pakistan conducts nuclear tests" reads a Pakistani evening paper

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Pakistan has exploded five underground nuclear devices in response to India's nuclear tests two weeks ago.

The move has provoked worldwide condemnation and fears of a nuclear conflict in one of the world's most volatile regions.

"We never wanted to participate in this nuclear race ."Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan's Prime Minister claimed.

Pakistani officials said the devices were detonated underground at 1030GMT in the Baluchistan region near the border with Afghanistan.

Shortly afterwards, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif addressed the nation on television and said the five tests by India had made the action "inevitable".

"Today's day is history in the making," he said. "Today God has given us the opportunity to take this step for our country's defence which is inevitable. We never wanted to participate in this nuclear race. We have proved to the world that we would not accept what was dictated to us."

Popular support

The prime minister said Pakistan's response was fully supported by its people and attacked the international community for a weak response to India's tests.

But after his national address, he said he was ready for more talks with India on a non-aggression pact.

There wasuproarin the Indian parliament when the news was announced. The Indian Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, said Pakistan's actionvindicatedIndia's decision to conduct tests of its own.

The western nations were quick to condemn Pakistan's action. US President Bill Clinton said Pakistan had missed "a truly priceless opportunity" by not showing restraint. He said Pakistan would now face sanctions.

Nato said the tests were a "dangerous development" and also warned of sanctions.

Ever since the partition of the sub-continent in 1947, when Britain dismantled its Indian empire, India and Pakistan have been arch rivals. The animosity has its roots in religion and history, and is epitomised by the long-running conflict over the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Now they have not only entered a new nuclear arms race but expanded the club of nuclear powers across the globe which includes the US, Russia, China, Britain, France, North Korea and Israel.

Optimists hope India and Pakistan's nuclear parity will now lead to serious and constructive peace talks.

Able (pictured) and Baker were strapped into the capsule and monitored throughout the flight

Able, a seven-pound female rhesus monkey, and Baker, a one-pound female spider monkey, were fired 300 miles into space in the nose-cone of a Jupiter missile AM-18 from Cape Canaveral in Florida.

The flight, which reached speeds of up to 10,000 mph,(16,090kmh) lasted 15 minutes and the monkeys were recovered 1,500 miles (2,413km) away in the South Atlantic near Puerto Rico.

The pair, who were weightless for nine minutes, were monitored throughout the flight for changes in their heart beats, muscular reaction,pulse velocity, body temperature and rate of breathing.

A spokesman from the Medical Research and Development Command of the US Army said the monkeys were in "perfect condition" on their return. Data recorded throughout the flight will be analysed over the next two weeks.

'Scientific devilry'

Although regarded as a success by space experts, the mission has been heavily criticised by animal welfare groups.

The American Embassy in London received protests from the League Against Cruel Sports and the Conference of Anti-Vivisection Societies, which is made up of 29 animal welfare groups.

A statement from the League Against Cruel Sports read: "Such action as this falls within the category of scientific devilry rather than scientific research."

It added: "In the name of humanity we beg of you to drop these vile experiments."

The statement from the Conference of Anti-Vivisection Societies had the same tone. It read: "Cowardly acts such as this can never be justified on the grounds of expediency and all thinking people will be disgusted to learn of this latest misuse by scientists of defenceless animals."

Able and Baker are due to return to Washington from Puerto Rico in a military transport aircraft.

uproar:a condition of confusion and tumult （騷亂）

vindicate:to provide support for（維護，支持）

pulse velocity:脈搏速度