N Korea bribed Pakistan for nuclear secrets: Post

WASHINGTON:

In response to charges by Pakistan’s nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan that North Korea bribed senior Pakistani military officials for nuclear secrets in the 1990s, the now-retired military men have rubbished the report, saying the report is “totally false.”

According to the Washington Post, the nuclear scientist released a copy of a letter from a North Korean official, dated 1998, which gives details of the transfer of $3 million to former army chief Jehangir Karamat, and $500,000 and some jewelry to another military official, Lt-Gen Zulfiqar Khan.

Both denied the letter’s authenticity to the Post.

“I was not in the loop for any kind of influence and I would have to be mad to sanction transfer of technology and for Dr Khan to listen to me,” Karamat told Reuters in an email.  Zulfiqar Khan also denied the accusation.

“I have not read the story,” Khan told Reuters, “but of course it is wrong.”

Post reported that the officials in turn approved the transfer of information to Pyongyang. The letter appears to be signed by North Korean Workers Party Secretary Jon Byong, the newspaper said. While western intelligence officials say the letter is authentic, Pakistani officials have denied the allegations and claim the letter is a fake.



Published in The Express Tribune, July 8^th, 2011.