ISLAMABAD: The country is observing Youm-e-Takbeer on Sunday to commemorate the Pakistan?s historic nuclear tests in the Chaghi mountain of Balochistan on May 28, 1998.

"Our atomic programme brought about a balance of power in South Asia," Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said in a statement.

May 28 is celebrated as a national day commemoration of the Chaghai-I and Chagai-II tests when Pakistan detonated seven nuclear devices in response to India's five detonations of Pokhran-II in 1998.

The tests made Pakistan the seventh nation to possess nuclear weapons and the first in the Muslim world.

Shaheen III nuclear-capable missile at the March 23, 2016 parade in Islamabad. Photo: Reuters

In his message on Youm-e-Takbeer, the premier said the nation is showing unity to make Pakistan an 'Asian Tiger' in economic terms as it had shown unity in 1998 during the nuclear tests.

He said nineteen years ago, we made the country?s defense impregnable. Today, with same dedication and passion, the country?s economy is also being made strong and stable.

Sharif said Youm-e-Takbeer is a strong message to the enemies that aggressors against Pakistan will meet an exemplary fate.