In 1998 , India conducted the series of nuclear tests at the site located in Pokhran , Rajasthan . Political momentum in Pakistan began to build up on conservative Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif by the influential political circle to authorize the nuclear testing program . Together with PAEC , Khan repeatedly lobbied in seeking the permission in favor of the tests . At the NSC meetings with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif , Khan even maintained that the tests could be performed at the controlled test site in Kahuta . But this was rebuffed by the military and Prime Minister Sharif ordered Ishfaq Ahmad of PAEC to perform the tests in Chagai due to their long experience of performing the tests in the past
nuclear tests
Pokhran-II
Abdul Qadeer Khan