ISLAMABAD:
Remember Dr Abdul Qadir Khan? The ‘father of Pakistan’s nuclear programme’ seems to have been inspired by his counterpart in India, who served as president a few years ago.
Out of the public eye for some time now, the controversial scientist says he now wants to pursue a career in politics. And the chances are that he will join Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI). In fact, Imran Khan in meeting earlier this week offered the scientist to join PTI as the patron of the party.
“I would love to join PTI – but on one condition,” said AQ Khan in a chat with The Express Tribune. He said he had asked Imran Khan to “To pursue real politics to change Pakistan’s fate.”
AQ Khan said that he has a soft corner for PTI’s leadership – “I will support PTI as I believe it is the only party with a ray of hope for the oppressed.”
“People of Pakistan want change. They want to get rid of traditional politicians as they always let them down by [practicing] corrupt politics.”
While a formal announcement is still yet to be made, AQ Khan, who also writes columns, has said that he will advocate the party and its cause in his articles.
Though the signing, when it happens, will be another high-profile one for PTI, it remains to be seen what this translates into in terms of results on the ground. Despite a possible ideological boost, much like a number of the party’s signings have indeed delivered, the electoral value remains untested.
Then there is also the international controversy caused by AQ Khan’s alleged nuclear proliferation network – something that the PTI will have to consider if it is to become a mainstream player that will deal with the international leaders on the global scale.
But the party seems upbeat. “PTI’s doors are always open for AQ Khan,” said PTI’s Senior Vice President Dr Shireen Mazari – welcoming AQ Khan’s praise and support for the party.
Analysts seem unconvinced – but point out that the right-wing appeal of the PTI will increase with the addition of AQ Khan, who is celebrated as a national hero by ultra-nationalists despite the serious allegations of criminal proliferation.
Dr Ayesha Siddiqa was of the belief that AQ Khan would sit alongside other non-electable old guard that has joined PTI. “The scientist, of course, will contribute something – but probably not in the longer perspective.”
Harris Khalique commenting on the pairing of the two Khans, said that the PTI and its chairman was whipping up a certain kind of conservative nationalist emotion which he thinks is his only way to grab power.
Khalique was also of the opinion that AQ Khan’s claim to be the “father of the bomb” is controversial within the country and he is seen as responsible for proliferation – something he has already confessed to before being pardoned by the President of Pakistan in 2004.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 18th, 2012.
COMMENTS (127)
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@ayesha khan: Well if you pick one sentence from the whole article and quote, it wouldn't definitely look what it actually delivers in the article. Don't be foolish... if you are... don't think others would buy your idea and style of looking at things.
PAKISTAN ZINDAABAD
There are lots of fifth columnist in our ranks & their comments should not be published.
Mind you - He is also reportedly posted adversary remarks recently about IK and his party in his one of the Columns in Urdu. He is quoted to have said, "Imran Khan has No Team, No Mission, and No Vision - and hence He was Doomed to Fail" (Unquote). How can He now Change His Opinion about IK?
It doesn't get any better than this. Thank you ET, for redefining bias.
Really, If Imran Khan bring AQ in his party,it will be very great for Pakistan, as AQ is the real hero of Pakistan, Imran Khan made very good move, it looks, Imran Kham really serious to some good change in Pakistan.NOW I like PTI Lets Pray to God for this AQ + Imran Khan............
@Lala Gee: I have a masters in mech engg. myself, but, if I were to look into an aircraft, I would have tough time figuring out what is what, apart from the fundamental stuff. That's only natural because it's not my specialization. Same goes with any specialist. Going by Dr. G D Alam's statement, Khan never as much as looked at a centrifuge till Pak scientists built them. He got the hands on the drawings only because he was fluent in German, French and English languages.
@Yuri Kondratyuk:
"A Q Khan isn’t a nuclear scientist even till date. He was a metallurgist and his knowledge of nuclear science was very fundamental let alone the operation/design/manufacture of centrifuges."
You imply to say that even pursuing PhD level studies in metallurgical engineering, he was only taught how to do sand casting and the people at URENCO were even dumber than _ who hired him as enrichment specialist. Did he or I ever claimed that he has done it all alone. You ought to read carefully what is said, though I admit it is difficult to concentrate with high ego and closed mind.
"He stole the centrifuge designs when the relevant engineering drawings were given to him for translation."
Now you say something different, that he was a linguist hired for translating drawings from what - you didn't mean Hindi, do you? - to what?, and, though you play him down for his skills, at the same time tell us he was also an expert who could understand the electro-mechanical engineering jargon for translation purposes. By the way, even you do not like to recognize his skills, he had a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering (see below).
"To quote a fact, he did not copy the upper part of the centrifuges as he didn’t know it’s mechanical significance."
But then later he was able to recreate the complicated missing uppers parts by himself - Or Indians helped him here? - but needed a copy for the simpler lower parts.
that sounds like good news. But keeping emotions aside, we must fairly investigate if our soil was used for nuclear proliferation and who did this. I pray if our hero comes out of this allegation.
Qaid-e-Azam said, Defending freedom is more difficult task than winning freedom. I think the Dr. A.Q. Khan is the most respected Pakistani hero. He made the our defence impregnable. Now, for the salvation of our motherland from corrupt vultures, He should join PTI.
Its high time that Pakistan should be ruled by a learned class. The feudal class should go back to its pre-Bhutto form.
@Ch Allah Daad: Grapes are sour. i feel i am the biggest critic of the PMLN but i must confess that PMLN always gave due respect to Dr. A.Q. i must admire this act but now he is joining PTI and i suspect they will propagate false things for him.
@Ch Allah Daad: go back to your noora league...no time for yr crap
we love u khan no matter what and we know how america got or all others non muslims got there wmd.
PTI supports DPC, and now AQK to join PTI - looks like the dream of LeT and other extremists to get their hands on nukes may be in reach,
Let us say Dr AQ joins PTI government as President/PM/Foreign Minister.
Will he be able to visit Europe/US where he is wanted for Nuclear proliferation? And will Libya accept him?
I think the announcement will be made in the Quetta Jalsa which will be another record breaking jalsa, Inshallah.
Does anybody remember that the HC has asked AQK to stay quiet and away from the media as a condition of his release? Please let me know the facts I have no other interest except to know the court's decision and directions.
@Indian Trolls Everyone knows that how indians develop the A-bomb and who was the first to introduce A-bombs in south Asia......so plz don't explain yourself......
Please don't compare AQ Khan with APJ Abdul Kalam. Even though I do have respect for both as scientists, the former has had a very suspicious (even if taking into consideration all those possibilities of being a scapegoat) history while the latter is a great mentor in every aspect to the youth with no allegations whatsoever leveled against him, leading a celibate life and an unquestionable character by person.
@Farooq Khalid:
hahaha..what a joke. the elections are 1 year away. AQ khan can barely walk. the man is not fit to be president, and the elections are in NO way a wrap for the PTI. i hope he wins, even though i dont support him. but he's untested and honest, and certainly better than the PPP and PML-N. but thats not to say he's fit for the job. that we dont know.
@Yuri k, Enemies of pakistan made nice propaganda against him after unseccefull to prevent them but because of this man pakistan not only succeeded but also made possible to make long rang phool chedia missile for his counrty and since then all indian agressor became ahnsa to perchari because they cant do any thing else and the world understand that had to take panga against us.
Either Dr. A.Q. Khan is father of Pakistan's Atomic Bomb or Not, an overwhelming majority of Pakistanis believe that he is. And this the reason that DR. A.Q. Khan's joining of PTI will boost the educated, modern, nationalist image of PTI which definitely will play a role in General Elections in 2012/2013.
@vasan: We are so interested in what you have to say. Please tell us how you are miles ahead of us.
@Lala Gee: A Q Khan isn't a nuclear scientist even till date. He was a metallurgist and his knowledge of nuclear science was very fundamental let alone the operation/design/manufacture of centrifuges. He stole the centrifuge designs when the relevant engineering drawings were given to him for translation. To quote a fact, he did not copy the upper part of the centrifuges as he didn't know it's mechanical significance.
What he successfully did was hog the credit all for himself and made nuclear proliferation a successful business by selling to various countries (possibly even to India).
Refer: http://www.pakdef.info/forum/showthread.php?12746-Dr.-G-D-Alam-Interview-with-Daily-Asas-and-Lashkar-1998 http://lewis.armscontrolwonk.com/archive/4905/india-was-khans-fourth-customer
@vasan:
"No clandestine dealings in this one. Google yourself on Homi Bhaba and learn how India did it."
We already know you did it by stealing Plutonium from Canadian reactor given to India on the condition of peaceful civilian use. That was the reason you termed your first detonation as peaceful explosion, aka "Smiling Budha".
hey our AQ Khan come to politics, nation loves you and will support you.
The only important thing mentioned here is that, AQ Khan wants to join PTI and PTI welcoming him with open arms. I don't have words to say about the rest of the things mentioned in the article because they are all Crap!
No Sadia,please enlighten us with some solid documentary proof, not the usual wishy washy based accusations.
All Parties need to tell us how to contain sectarian another violence.
@Yuri Kondratyuk:
"I understand Munir Ahmad Khan was the real father of Pak’s bomb. AQ Khan was just an engineer who managed to steal a few sensitive documents from URENCO."
A complex project like making nuclear weapons requires the skills and services of thousands and everybody plays his vital role in achieving success. But A.Q. Khan's role was the major and most important one because he was the only one having knowledge and skill-set in enrichment process. He did not need to steel any documents as he himself was an expert of the enrichment process, and working in the same capacity at URENCO. If learning from books and experience is steeling, then Indians could be blamed for the same as well. Mind you he was not an administrator there but an enrichment specialist and held PhD Degree in Metallurgical Engineering.
By the way, would you like to shed light on what your Indian scientists not learned from the West and developed by themselves in this particular field like discovering E=MC(2), or the fission process, or the critical mass, or the enrichment process? Or you just stole all the the things in making your bomb.
Pakistani NEOCON'S ...........
Is AQ Khan join the PTI????? Or its just a meeting????
We love both of you khans zindabad jaye pakistan.
Dr. Khan is a great hero but like many retired Generals and Bureacrats he is very unstable person. I read his articles and find him very contradictory and emotional on important issues. Mark my words, its very bad news for PTI.
it will be very good if AQ Khan join PTI because PTI is sincere to make Pakistan a powerfull and walfare state.. and a lot bad people joined PTI and other parties are cashing it. if Dr Khan join it then other parties will not make allegations about PTI. PTI got poewr just for their idealogy and only they can save Pakistan. though i belonged to another party but this time my vote is to PTI........ for change
@BlackJack: "I take strong exception to this attempt to equate global proliferator and pilferer of nuclear secrets with the former President of India. Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam never stole nuclear secrets from another country or violated the non-proliferation regime."
Heya a non-proliferation thing can only be gained by either stealing or begging. Well in india`s case they begged and we stole :p
@vasan: Yeah whatever! btw those lesser mortals you just mentioned, were none other than your very own Ideal Jawa (1960), Luna (1972), Escourts Group (1962), TVS (1978) and off course Bajaj (1976) who were busy churning out two and three wheelers day in day out. Few of them are now worth billions. You need to start learning about your own HISTORY by going beyond Google, before you start lecturing other people..enough said!
looking at Times of India (TOI) website, it seems that since there is a lot crap happening in Indian, therefore indians have to look into Pakistan's news websites to see something better happening. They post equally negative comments about their country in TOI as much as they pretend to be superior here.. :D
Get a life, neighbours!
@Ahsan: Well back then PMLN did try and show Dr Samar Mubarak as having done bulk of the work. Frankly I prefer to give both men their due.
@Sadia: We don't want to know how many plats AQ have in Islamabad. We only knows, that AQ Khan owns whole Pakistan and its people. We know that AQ is our hero, he lives in heart and if he need our lives then we are ready to sacrify our live for him. Understand or not!!!!!!
I wish to see AQ khan as our new president by GOD!
This is great News for Pakistan.. He is a great Hero and will ever be a gereat Hero of Pakistan and infact Muslim world.
We Salute you and please learn to respect your heroes does not matter to which party he affiliates he is a Pakistani Hero
Pakistan Zindabad
@Sadia: And most Importantly, are these plots and assets "Declared" on Dr. A.Q. Khan's tax returns.
raza : Due to the visionary leadership of our beloved first prime minister Pandit Nehru and Dr Homi Baba. No clandestine dealings in this one. Google yourself on Homi Bhaba and learn how India did it. Dont forget to google on AQK and learn how not to do it. By the way, since we were concentrating on nukes, we didnt bother about mundane things like motorbikes. We left that for the lesser mortals.
@Lala Gee:
I understand Munir Ahmad Khan was the real father of Pak's bomb. AQ Khan was just an engineer who managed to steal a few sensitive documents from URENCO.
I don't understand, why ET is using the word "controversial" to describe AQ? He might be describd as controversial outside Pakistan; but surely he should be described as a hero inside Pakistan........regardless of his political association? Just a thought from a expat kashmiri
Pakistani Politics has never honoured its Heroes- may be now is the time. We support you PTI
Now Pml-nooon and its filthy members will try yo malign AQ Khan ...
AQK had been keen to join PTI for along time but maybe imran refused him and a verbal spat followed btwn AQK and haroon rashid as far as i remember.it seems that someone has pressed Imran to take AQK now
does anyone know how many plots aq has in islamabad alone?
18. "Change!" hmm, but do we think HOW we GONNA have this "change"?. I mean why we guys just blindly think and have belief that someone would gonna bring CHANGE!? WE have to bring it by our self, We have to come forward , WE HAVE to play our role. With Due respect; problem with us is that We all claim that we want change, BUT unfortunately we are not ready to do something for it. Lets leave future for a sec and talk about present what are we doing now? We are being crushed day by day, Death ratio is increasing, crimes rates are increasing, Prices are going high day by day, But what we are doing. By saying that this all is happening wrong! We should condemn, local bodies are responsible, that person is responsible, CJ should take notice, and blah blah! Is it ENOUGH! ? ARE we WAITING FOR OUR TURN? Actually .. NO..We are sort of paralyze, WE ARE WAITING for SOMEONE to BRING CHANGE !.. RIGHT?? Please think…
I agree with those who think that the proliferation issue was a flimsy affair and that the whole issue was related to saving the corrupt institutions of the country and in order to do that AQ Khan was used as a scapegoat. I mean, it is beyond my wildest imagination to think that a person whose every move and every minute of his life was monitored by our agencies, would involve into something so huge and no one in the country knew anything about it. I guess it was to save the necks of some Generals in the army from the noose that he was made to confess. His joining PTI will certainly be a good thing and result into gaining momentum. Good Luck to PTI and AQ Khan.
@BlackJack: he is still ugly though init
This IS the real change!! First Asad Umar and now AQ Khan, this is amazing news! May Allah give AQ Khan a live life, the whole nation prays for him whenever his name comes up. Pakistan Zindabad!!
@vasan: mate tell me one thing please,,,,, how come india did the first of its nuclear explosion in 1974 when they do not even know how to build a motorbike back then
Dr.Khan will give a great boost to PTI. I hope IK listens to his advice.
dear across the border political experts,
will you please stay out of this and mind your own business? times of india also has comments section, and they r not moderated as well. how about messing around in there? huh?
I don't like his joining the party as he is a controversial character. He has a bad repute internationally.
Why am i not surprised the least bit? lol
oh i can so smell some burning anti-PTI, anti-IK and anti-Pakistan hearts.. :D
He ran a nuclear black market and accepted it on TV; come out of the state of denial. The father of nuclear bomb is Dr Munir A khan, but he was a humble man
"Ultra-Nationalists" what does that means.....loving our country & national heroes is termed as Ultra-Nationalists???.......every-one make mistakes.....& sometimes mistakes are necessary to get somthing done......most educated and well informed Pakistanis respect Dr. AQK and consider him as Hero.....may be some ulta-educated or Pakistani with dual nationality do not consider him as Hero because they have other options
These analysists..... Analyse the past... Wait what is written on the wall and then analyse
What amazes me is the fact that people can think he was responsible for leaking out nuclear information "WITHOUT" the government and the military knowing about it? He was made to be the fall guy, that much is clear. ET should try to be objective when reporting. I'm no PTI supporter, but this article is biased and leading. Learn to be objective.
KOILAY KI DALLALI MAIN MUNH KALA enter politics and loose all respect and be aware all corruption cases that a q khan is accused of by international institutions will be opened
@ashok: He already does enjoy full immunity courtesy a presidential pardon. infact there are no charges against him
@Iram: Inshallah! IK is a true icon. May Allah protect him from every harm.
Dr. AQ Khan is not only the hero and ideal of every Pakistani today, but he will be an ideal for the generations to come. We love you Dr. AQ Khan.
Yah! We want to get rid of traditional politics. We want a new pakistan free of religious and sectrian violence. We want Pakistan with peace, education and prosperity. We also request our leader to avoid wasting his time during speeches, condemning PPP, PML (N), USA in the traditional way. Because we are already aware of their characters. We want you to spend you time in giving future plans and give some hope to us. We also say "Welcome" to our National Hero AQ Khan. پہ خیر راغلے۔
Sloganeering and posturing is what IK does best. By bringing in AQ Khan, who is the 'persona non-grata' of the entire West, IK is saying that he does not need the west. Good luck with that Kaptaan saab. I am curious to see where you'll get investment from.
ok, now few days back few articles were published by Haroon Rashid (of Jang) and Dr. AQ Khan, blaming each other over the intentions of Dr. AQ khan to join PTI. the articles were of quite personal nature. Just curious re. the standing of Mr. Haroon Rashid in the PTI?
Go Zardari Go, Go Nawaz Go, PTI Zindabad
@thoughtfelon, Since you have long been kicked out of pkpolitics, you have since resorted to exhibiting your fantasies on alternative forums.As for Ambulances, heart attacks and Raiwind; people coming to the Inquilabi Tehreek have a unique penchant of leaving it within the first two months. In the event Dr. A.Q. Khan realizes that he bet his wagers on a losing stallion on steroids, Dr. A.Q. Khan will himself undertake the Raiwind yatra and and an Ambulance will be on standby outside the Goldsmith Summer House in Banigala to tend to a cardiac arrest suffered by you know "who."
Ciao!
P.S. I can still request the admin at pkpolitics to cut you some slack so that you can become a part of our community again, provided that you quit dreaming even in broad daylight.
You cannot label Dr. AQ Khan- he's proud of every single Pakistan- So PTI kids stay away!
ET is really becoming crap.Always biased towards PTI.Only hope for change in this country in PTI.
Congratulations! PTI for recruiting another salesman.
Pakistan should make AQ Khan as its President. He will enjoy full immunity from his past misdeeds which he admitted and apologized on the TV in person.
Grear achievment by Imran Khan as Dr. A Q khan's call nation will definately help Imran Khan and his Cause to Save pakistan.
Dr. A. Q. Khan is the father of the nuclear program and will remain as such. He should be welcome to any corridor of public life. By the way, who is Haris Khalique? What are his credentials to be mentioned alongside some one AQ Khan? I thought Express Tribune had a better way of doing news that this.
Way to go - GO IK!!!
Great news. Whatever he did was with the consent and as per the policy of our establishment. He was just scapegoated in the name of national interest. There is no doubt in my mind that he is our national hero. I hope the liberal extremists do not bash him just because they hate IK.
Its time the whole world sees that we pakistani's love our national heros and they get the respect that they deserve. Enough with the US slave leaders of yesterday .... a good victory for imran khan ...
SAB SAY PEHLAY PAKISTAN ... PAKISTAN ZINDABAD ....
I take strong exception to this attempt to equate global proliferator and pilferer of nuclear secrets with the former President of India. Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam never stole nuclear secrets from another country or violated the non-proliferation regime; he is also non-political (not a member of any political party). He is probably the best President that India has ever had (Dr. Radhakrishnan is another).
Our prayers are with you.
We will hats off to Dr. A Q Khan on his joining PTI
Khans to the rescue. Way to go!!
Dr. A.Q.Khan was made scapegoat by Musharraf. Now we have hope that change certainly will come. Good luck PTI.
A great move. Now all the patriotic people should try gathering masses to join PTI for electoral sweep.
@Naumann Malik: "Please stop whipping up lies to create viewership. I hate your bias towards Islam & Pakistan,"
The reference which has inflamed you so much is to the fact that his counterpart Dr. Abdul Kalam who headed the nuclear establishment in India went on to become the President of India. Since Dr. Abdul Kalam was also Muslim I do not see how this statement is anti-Islam as you claim. Also if A Q Khan hopes to be President Of Pakistan some day just as Abdul Kalam had become President of India - how is that anti-Pakistan? Particularly since you consider Dr. A qKhan as a hero.
the controversial scientist
No he is NOT! Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan is loved, admired and respected across the board! ET stop this non-sense propaganda against Pakistan and her heroes!
You are only speaking the language of your western overlords. The true face of the pathetic pseudo-liberal media!
Once the Dr Khan joins PTI, IK cannot complain about the theft of other politicians,. After all AQK himself is a thief stealing nuclear drawings from Belgium, and selling the centrifuges after stealing them from Pakistan to Iran and N Korea, There goes the "cleanliness" of the PTI.
Best combination possible, Dr saab president and Imran Khan PM, loving it
Whos Harris Khalique???
"Khalique was also of the opinion that AQ Khan’s claim to be the “father of the bomb” is controversial within the country and he is seen as responsible for proliferation – something he has already confessed to before being pardoned by the President of Pakistan in 2004."
ET should be ashamed of reporting the whole news in a much biased way, particularly the above quoted paragraph is like slapping on the face of informed Pakistanis.
Now ET is showing he is Controversial. When someday PTI will win INSHALLAH win elections all those voters will either be 'FOOLS' or 'CONTROVERSIAL' according to ET?
Future looks grim for pakistan. PTI+DPC+AQ = sunni version of Iran. Life of Pakistanis, on the other hand, is gonna get tougher. May Allah save us from this "tsunami" of ignorance. Also Librals in US will be sooo happy to have this combination ruling Pakistan. It will give them all the reasons to completely strip us off our nuclear power and strnegthen India with even greater military and stretegic support. Not to mention the Irani style hyper inflation, served as sider to the main dish. Iran, atleast has its own oil and gas. We dont even have clean water for God's sake. One can only pray for the country.
Like it or not, AQK does have massive support in Pakistan. This will certainly have an impact in the upcoming elections.
AQ's criticism about IK is justified to an extent, and therefore iK will need to mould himself accordingly.
My vote is for PTI.
Marvelous...whatever you did, we have been waiting for you, AQ Khan.
Welcome to PTI...
Abist omen!
Long live pakistan. PTI
Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” Thank you PTI.
this is real change..... wahoooow
Hurrah! last Asad Umar ex CEO of Engro group showed intention to join PTI and today Dr. A.Q Khan. we are about to build a great Pakistan, nation we have a ray of hop now remove your disbelieve. Imran Khan is building a great team for you, thanks IK that is why i always say i have a blind trust in you.
we are moving on right direction, "Don't worry if moving slowly, be worry if standing still".
Oh God, quick, someone send an ambulance to Raiwind and let it stay there on stand-by, their might a heart attack or two in the locality of Raiwind.
Whatever Khan does it gets the ire of ET. What should he do sit at home and wear bangles?
This could be the best news ever for Pakistan. God bless Dr. Qadeer Khan and Imran Khan.
AQ Khan is an asset of Pakistan no matter what his faults. Even Mush had this to say about him." I considered him a hero, He is still my hero" We all can have an error in Judgment since we are human. BUT O people of Pakistan do not forget what he did for you.
wecome to our world - a day dreaming - seeking no elections context - referring Europe, america what happens around ? AQ>Khan beaware of all!
An encouraging trend...with asad umar and abdul qadir khan on board, it's fairly obvious that men who aren't professional politicians, men with ambition and achievement choose PTI to bring about greater impact.
People of Pakistan are waiting a historical movement of Dr. AQ Khan Joining PTI. This will be a real changing movement in PTI.
Nuclear proliferation was a flimsy allegation on Qadeer Khan. He was scapegoat to safeguard country and corrupt "national" institutions. No one can do it alone nor it is children game.
We love to see both Khans together very soon Inshall Allah.
Pakistan need these heroes
We love you A.Q. Khan and you are our hero. Your joining of PTI will give moral support to PTI and hope to youth. We are sure that your guidance will help PTI. You were great support to the nation in tough time of late seventies and early eighties. We need you once more. All the best to PTI team for having hero on its side. PTI is becoming party of good professionals.