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Pakistani Authorities Investigate Role of Local Businessman in Nuclear Black Market
Pakistani authorities have detained a local businessman over allegations he acted as a middleman in the international black market confessed to by top Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, the Wall Street Journal reported today (see GSN, Feb. 12). Authorities have detained Aizaz Jafri, a former Islamabad banker who officials have said has acted as a frontman for a number of businesses established by Khan. Pakistani officials said they believe Jafri helped to finance transactions between Khan and the larger illicit nuclear network. Some analysts have said Jafri may have also helped Khan to launder the money he received from his nuclear transfers into legitimate businesses in Pakistan (Solomon/Hussain, Wall Street Journal, Feb. 13). Meanwhile, some Pakistani lawmakers viewed U.S. President George W. Bush’s speech earlier this week on nuclear nonproliferation as tacit support for Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf’s pledge to prevent further nuclear transfers, the Financial Times reported today. In his speech, Bush agreed with Pakistan’s official claim that Khan acted alone and transferred nuclear technology for financial reasons. Bush also did not censure Pakistan for allowing the transfers to go on for so long undetected, the Times reported. “This clearly confirms that Washington has accepted Pakistan’s assurances that it has closed down all outlets for future proliferation,” said Pakistani lawmaker Mushahid Husain. Another Pakistani politician said the timing of the nuclear transfer scandal benefited Pakistan. “The gods are on our side,” the politician said. “If this scandal had blown up at another time, or [if] it had resulted in Libya and Iran going nuclear then Washington’s response could have been much much tougher,” the politician said (Bokhari/Luce, Financial Times, Feb. 13).
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