No matter how hard they try, successive governments are unable to keep disgraced nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan quiet. In an interview he gave to German publication Der Spiegel last week, Khan claimed that he was made a scapegoat by Musharraf and the army. Soon after, a letter, obviously leaked by Khan himself, was published by The Washington Post which was purportedly from a North Korean scientist saying that former army chief Jehangir Karamat had been paid $3 million and another general, Zulfiqar Khan, would soon be paid in diamonds and rubies. Both the now-retired officers have vehemently denied that they received anything or were even involved. There is no way to authenticate the contents of the letter but, in the past, questions had been raised of how Dr Khan could be involved in the sale of nuclear material to other countries without some involvement/consent by the military establishment.
Musharraf may have dismissed Dr Khan’s clandestine network as a ‘one-man show’ but it would be unlikely for one individual to be so well-connected and independent to have been doing this on his own, especially given that the organisation he used to head is a part of the ministry of defence and the military has close control of the nuclear weapons programme. This may perhaps explain why, when the issue boiled over during General Musharraf’s rule, Dr Khan was practically forced to appear on television to confess, then pardoned the very next day, and then kept under wraps for the next few years.
This latest revelation should be investigated by the government because, as it is, the country does not have a very good reputation as far as nuclear proliferation is concerned. Of course, one can argue that it is hypocritical of America to put Pakistan under scrutiny when it has no qualms with either India or Israel possessing nuclear weapons. But that does not take away from the fact that we need to be a responsible state and if anyone in either our military or civilian hierarchy was involved, then all such individuals should be held accountable for their actions.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 9th, 2011.
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@Harris Qureshi: Haris you left all story ,, just simply think that with out the concerned Monarchs how it can be possible to proliferate the nuclear technology to others.. solely a Dr can not do alone itself, u cant imagine the intelligence of the nuclear dr & engrs over here.. & second thng in each country especially USSR proliferation is the normal drainage like river into see including USA to Israel, So they done best at the time of need that was in favour of Pakistan.. no need to say our hero worse or something else..
@Cautious: At the level of 'National Interest', it is about perception indeed rather than reality. Do you honestly believe that Musharraf put a gun to his head and made him 'apologise'? It was a face-saving effort wasn't it - for Pakistan as a whole rather than than some person or institution. Besides, the reason for his possible disqualification from the status of a National Hero is not him talking about Generals taking money in exchange for transfer of technology. It's merely because this disclosure seems so self-serving without any fear of wider consequences.
All those claiming A.Q.Khan is a national hero, should reflect on what that says about the nation. A person who admitted on TV to reckless Nuclear proliferation, a technology that is so destructive, in the wrong hands it'll kill innocents on a scale that is unthinkable.
A person who amassed wealth peddling such technology can only be a hero to people who don't value national honor and international standing of Pakistan.
It is true that AQ Khan is right in saying he was made a scapegoat, but that's not saying he was innocent in a immoral (if not illegal) and dangerous nuclear bazar.
@Harris Qureshi. Sometimes it seems like the entire country is focused on perception rather than reality. Khan sold nuke technology to N Korea, Libya, and Iran and that doesn't seem to keep him from being a national hero --- but if he talks about his selling the nuke technology or implicates his cohorts then that disqualifies him?
@Usman: Does Mossad exist as an opponent only in conspiracy theories? Or has the State or the establishment been able to provide any proof of their complicity? Any Jewish agents arrested? Any documentary evidence? In fact sometimes I am frankly amazed at the logic of pointing fingers towards Israel. One tries to finish one enemy at a time, not increase them before finishing them off. The list of Pakistan's enemies started off with India in the past and now includes US and Israel. Would it not have been wiser to deal with India before taking up a cudgel against Israel?
Disclosing his clandestined activities/possessions to our non-friendly rather anti-national, almost enemy-like-agencies/medias and mafia,dr. qadeer khan, in his un-satiated passion for self-praised publicity and glorification, he has been actually plying in the hands of our enemies. General Musharraf knew the true colours of the so-called iron-mendig 'nuke'expert, who knew nothing of physics, the queen of all natural sciences.In the life and personal behaviour of the Indian nuclear scientist, dr. kalam, there are a lot of things, which dr. qadeer must learn and adopt in his life after retirement. Dr. Kalam never uttered a single word on or about his achievements after his retirement. One wishes a similar dignified behaviour and attitude from dr. qadeer.
@Santosh: dear i think u have forgotten about MOSAD,which is here to destroy pakistan with the help of their truly best friend country ''India''
Its always funny to read how our english newspapers plays theirs roles as spokeperson of Americans.They believe everything Americans Says.Does any journalist Ask Dr.Khan about the letter.Our FO already rejeted the fake letter.But Our So called Liberal Journalist still believes whats Americans says.
Sorry to say that the name called a hero's personality is lacking in an area which makes him undeserving of the position he is elevated to. Call him a hero if you'd like. It's not like I could stop you and really, any evidence to the contrary would also be labeled as a conspiracy. It's a no win for anyone to debate his hero status and I don't believe for a second that anyone who currently speaks extremely well of him will agree with me no matter what I do/say. The area he's lacking in, is the area of his outlook on the bomb in comparison to the ones who pioneered the creations on a human level, not government level. The thing they have in common is that they usually speak negatively of their research and if they could go back it would have never happened. This man, however, only cares about praise and money. The human life aspect doesn't enter his radar. He was always in it for himself and I'd bet just about anything that if Pakistan were to even level a hypothetical well-intentioned country that has never even harmed an insect, he'd praise the action and attempt to gain some form of spotlight.
@Abbas: A thief is thief, whatever you like to call him. In the God Gifted state of Pakistan thieves have thrived in one form or the other. I always had suspicion about this self styled nuclear scientist, and I am no prophet of Old Testament. But am glad that the gentleman has been exposed.
We will not call him disgraced, but the kind of things he is doing...he will bring it on to himself....He would have been much better leading a quite life. From a national hero now he is becoming a politician and they are always disgraced.
Whatever Abdul Qadeer Khan did was of immense benefit for Pakistan. But after the proliferation incident, whenever AQ Khan has opened his mouth, he has fallen from grace. I for one do not expect AQ Khan to be so disruptive while hiding behind the cloak of 'responsibility'. If he carries on like that anymore, he would no longer exist as a National Hero for me. I hope difference of opinion is allowed on this forum.
Stop calling AQK disgraced scientist. Why do we Pakistanis use this word? I can undertstand when Indians use it but why us?
The last paragraph does seem to twist the facts a little. US has not put Pakistan under scrutiny for possession of nuclear weapons ( while India and Israel have them). Pakistan is under scrutiny for illegal criminal proliferation of nuclear technology. The worry is not possession, it is the fact that Pakistani nuclear technology could fall in to the hands of the terrorists. And this not necessarily as a decision of the Pakistani state. Since private individuals have successfully proliferated in the past, the situation gets worrisome. Also I understand Pakistan's concern with Indian nuclear weapons. Why bother about Israel? Has in Pakistan's history any war been fought between Pakistan and Israel that was initiated by Israel? Have Israeli forces ever attacked Pakistani soil?