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Pakistan Says Khan Takes Full Responsibility for Nuclear Transfers
The “father” of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program, Abdul Qadeer Khan, today took full responsibility for transferring Pakistani nuclear technology to Iran, Libya and North Korea, according to an official Pakistani statement (see GSN, Feb. 3). Khan “accepts full responsibility for all the proliferation activities which were conducted by him during the period in which he was at the helm of affairs at Khan Research Laboratories,” a government statement said. Khan met today with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, according to the Associated Press. Khan told state-run PTV that Musharraf had been “extremely kind and understanding” during the meeting. “We discussed this ongoing affair, the international campaign against Pakistan about nuclear matters,” Khan said. “I explained ... the background on what was happening and what had happened, and he appreciated the frankness with which I gave him the details,” he said. In addition, Khan has also requested to be forgiven for his activities in a “mercy petition” to Musharraf, the official statement said. Musharraf is set to hold a meeting later today with the Nuclear Command Authority, which controls Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, to decide on Khan’s petition, according to the Associated Press (Munir Ahmad, Associated Press/Yahoo!News, Feb. 4). The head of Pakistan’s ruling PML party, Chaudhry Shujat Hussain, said today that Khan has not signed a confession and that the scientist has also denied any involvement by Musharraf in nuclear transfers (CNN.com, Feb. 4). A senior Pakistani official said yesterday that Khan is likely to be pardoned without a trial. Khan would likely be pardoned because after he confessed, “there was no further need to humiliate the father of Pakistan’s nuclear bomb, who has kept the nation safe from Indian attack,” the senior official said. In addition, a trial would be too sensitive when “political opposition to the president is building up,” the official said. One Western diplomat, though, said that Western countries and the International Atomic Energy Agency would probably demand that their experts be allowed to question Khan “in jail and not after a pardon in his mansion.” Another diplomat said there would be an international outcry if Khan escaped punishment. “He is the world’s biggest criminal, involved for 27 years in selling nuclear technology. If you let him off with a slap on the wrist, then what kind of message are you sending to others?” the diplomat said (Rashid/Gedye, London Telegraph, Feb. 4).
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