Who Sold the Centrifuges?

Though, Belatedly, Dr Qadeer Khan, Pakistan’s eminent nuclear scientist, in a telephonic interview to The Associated Press, has sprung a venomous rebuttal of Pervez Musharraf’s oft repeated assertions and accusations against him that he acted as a catalyst in the proliferation of Pakistan’s nuclear know how by selling it to at least three countries namely North Korea, Libya and Iran. Later Dr Khan clarified that he was simply repeating of what was already disclosed in Musharraf’s book “In the Line of Fire�.

However, with Dr. Qadeer’s latest statement, Pakistan’s nuclear regime has been once again, come under the international lime light. Pakistan is already beset with various internal and external grave issues. Dr. Qadeer’s inflammatory outburst against President Pervez Musharraf would, instead of personally absolving him, aid in painting Pakistan in more lurid colors by her detractors.

However, Musharraf, in his book, claimed that following a raid authorized by him on a charter aircraft going to North Korea for conventional missiles, Khan's people were tipped off before the raid and the ‘irregular’ cargo was never loaded. This statement in fact absolves both Pakistan government as well as Dr. Khan of shipping P-1 type centrifuges to North Korea. So why then Dr. Khan had to bite the bullet and confess that the shipment did take place? Dr. Khan also claimed that he had traveled to North Korea in 1999 with a Pakistan army general to buy shoulder-launched missiles from Pyongyang. He wants to prove that it was two way traffic.


Of all the countries that oppose nuclear proliferation, United States would be the first one to be alarmed. The statement of Dr. Qadeer has come at a time when Pervez Musharraf is at the center of a hurricane of sweeping antagonism in Pakistan. This might make another dent in his thus far good credentials with his principal mentors the United States of America. But it could as well as work as a shot in the arm as he might come under further pressure from US to turn more obliging towards the latter. On the face, it looks unbelievable that a sale deal of 200 centrifuges with North Korea in 2000 was not known to the Americans. May be the deal was struck with the tacit blessing of the United States. But nevertheless, the hitherto hidden collaborative role of Pakistan army and for that matter Pervez Musharraf would look intriguing to the world at large. And that was the motive behind Dr. Qadeer’s statement. But in this blame game Pakistan is being dragged into mud.

It might give another excuse or pretext to the opponents of Pakistan’s nuclear assets and expertise especially India to pressurize this country to unfold similar deals that might have been struck besides the one disclosed by the architect and upholder of Pakistan atomic program. But if similar deals by Pakistan either for sale or purchase of atomic arsenal come to light, what view would be taken globally of the countless reassurances and reaffirmations of all the Pakistani leaders in power including Pervez Musharraf to the effect that Pakistan has never resorted to the proliferation by way of secret deals with other countries.

Ironically, United States, the arch opponent of nuclear, is, satisfied that Pakistan’s control and command system of nuclear assets were beyond the reach of any one including the anti American Islamic militants like Al-Qaeda.This certification by US may have been based on the premises that US experts might be part of our nuclear Control and Command System or at least they may have been made privy to this. From the end of 2001, the United States has provided material assistance to aid Pakistan in guarding its nuclear weapons. This included the safeguarding of Pakistan's nuclear material, its warheads as well as its laboratories. The cost of the program has been almost $100 million. Specifically the USA has provided helicopters, night-vision goggles and nuclear detection equipment to Pakistan.

That might be a matter of gratification for Pakistan and its incumbent leadership but presently Pakistan nuclear program has been tacitly pushed under the carpet due to Pakistan’s assertive contribution in combating terrorism and Islamic insurgency. But this bogey can be whipped up again if Pakistan turns recalcitrant against the global agenda of the United States and the West to defeat and annihilate the thus far unbridled menace of terrorism.

With this bomb shell and sensational statement of Dr Qadeer, North America and other countries that might be interested in or are in the process of acquiring Pakistan’s nuclear wherewithal and weapons like centrifuges and missiles might get alerted and withdraw under the fear that the very people who are expected of safeguarding such sensitive matters as nuclear capability and making of weapons thereof may finally spill the beans to browbeat their adversaries, as has been done by Dr. Qadeer. North Korea already on the way to dismantling its nuclear reactor may start harboring an ill will about Pakistan.

Evidently, when it comes to settling personal scores, Pakistani leaders and elite seldom show any restraint even if such bouts fly in the very face of national interests. Pakistan’s consistent posturing to portray its nuclear research as defensive and camouflaging its nuclear sacrosanct regime has all of a sudden been exposed to the world with a layer of dirt on its face. Who would believe Pakistan and its leaders in future when Pakistani leaders would claim that Pakistan was not involved in shady deals of the type executed with North Korea? The world community would demand a close scrutiny of Pakistan’s assets and the nature of research that is going on in Pakistan’s nuclear laboratories for further development of missiles to keep pace with Indian Nuclear Technology.

Right or wrong, now when the nuclear proliferation cat is out of the bag, it is of urgent import that Pakistan government institutes an inquiry commission to find out as to who was true and who was not in this most deplorable contest between two individuals: one known as the architect of Pakistan’s nuclear program and the other the president of the state. If the matter is hushed up it would leave many intriguing questions in the minds both domestically and internationally and Pakistan would turn a confirmed suspect in the eyes of the world community. The people of Pakistan to whom the power belongs have at least the right to know what their top notches were up to and in what manner they were stymieing the interests and integrity of Pakistan by indulging in a dirty exchange of mutual recriminations and innuendos.