Pakistan Lashes Ex-Prime Minister on Access to Khan

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto faced criticism from the nation’s present government yesterday for saying that if returned to office she would allow U.N. nuclear inspectors to question nuclear proliferator Abdul Qadeer Khan, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, Sept. 11).

Khan, widely considered a leading founder of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program, admitted in 2004 to providing nuclear expertise and material to Libya, North Korea and Iran.  Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf pardoned Khan but has kept him largely confined to his home, refusing requests for access from the United States and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Bhutto, who has said she intends to return Oct. 18 to Pakistan, said in Washington that “we do believe that [the] IAEA … would have the right to question A.Q. Khan.”

“Many Pakistanis are cynical about whether A.Q. Khan could have done this without any official sanction,” she said, adding that she would call for parliamentary hearings on whether to allow access to Khan if she were re-elected prime minister.

Pakistan’s government quickly denounced Bhutto’s statement.

“Pakistan cannot allow any interference in its affairs.  We have ourselves investigated A.Q. Khan's case, we don't think it needs to be taken up again," said Deputy Information Minister Tariq Azeem.

“There is a strong reaction in Pakistan over Benazir Bhutto's statement on A.Q. Khan.  I think her statement is based on some wrong information,” he said.

Some Pakistani politicians also denounced Bhutto, AFP reported.

“Benazir Bhutto is doing everything to appease the United States," said Liaquat Baloch, a senior member of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, or United Action Front, the country's largest Islamic party alliance.

“She wants to gain power and the people of Pakistan know that to achieve her objective she is ready to compromise the country's nuclear program,” he said (Agence France-Presse/Spacewar.com, Sept. 26).

Back to top
About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines © Copyright 2008 by National Journal Group, Inc. The material in this section is produced independently for NTI by National Journal Group, Inc. Any reproduction or retransmission, in whole or in part, is a violation of federal law and is strictly prohibited without the consent of the National Journal Group, Inc. All rights reserved.