Pakistan's pursuit of nuclear weapons initially aimed at countering India has evolved into a broader ambition to create an "Islamic bomb" to support other Muslim nations, including Iran, according to Richard Barlow, a former CIA officer. Barlow, who worked as a counter-proliferation officer during the 1980s, highlighted the role of Abdul Qadeer Khan, known as the father of Pakistan's nuclear programme, in this shift of focus.

Barlow stated, "Pakistan’s primary motive for developing nuclear weapons was to counter India. But it was also very clear from AQ Khan and the generals’ perspective that it was not just the Pakistani bomb; it was the Islamic bomb — the Muslim bomb." He recalled Khan's assertion that, "We’ve got the Christian bomb, the Jewish bomb, and the Hindu bomb; we need a Muslim bomb," indicating Pakistan's intent to share nuclear technology with other Muslim countries.

The term "Muslim bomb" was originally coined by former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who initiated Pakistan's nuclear programme and appointed Khan to lead it. Barlow also pointed out that Khan's network significantly aided Iran's nuclear ambitions by providing crucial gas centrifuge technology and nuclear plans in the early 1990s, which he claimed accelerated Iran's nuclear programme by decades.

Barlow criticized the United States for its lack of action regarding Pakistan's nuclear activities, stating, "Not only did they shut down from doing anything about that in 1987 and 1988, but they did nothing for the next 20 to 24 years."

He further elaborated on the connection between Pakistan's nuclear programme and Iran's atomic efforts, asserting that Iran's advancements in gas centrifuge technology were directly linked to the assistance received from Khan's network. Barlow emphasized, "There is no way that Iran could ever have developed gas centrifuges without the centrifuges that Khan and Pakistan provided them in the early 1990s."

In addition, Barlow expressed regret over the Indira Gandhi government's decision not to approve a joint airstrike with Israel on Pakistan's Kahuta nuclear facility in the early 1980s, which he believed could have mitigated many issues. He remarked, "It’s a shame that Indira Gandhi didn’t approve it; it would have solved a lot of problems."

Today, nine countries possess nuclear weapons, including India and Pakistan, with India adhering to a No First Use policy, while Pakistan does not impose such restrictions. Barlow's revelations shed light on the historical context of nuclear proliferation in South Asia and its implications for regional security.