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Pakistani Nuclear Investigation Turns to Former Army Chief
Pakistani authorities are investigating whether former Chief of Army Staff Gen. Aslam Beg was involved in aiding Iran’s nuclear program, the London Times reported yesterday (see GSN, Jan. 20). Beg was brought in for questioning after Abdul Qadeer Khan, the “father” of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program, told authorities that Beg had authorized nuclear cooperation with Iran, according to the Times. Beg is believed to have attempted to persuade the civilian governments of Pakistan from 1988 to 1991 to transfer nuclear-related technologies to Iran in exchange for $12 billion, which would have been used to fund the Pakistani military, PTI reported. The offer was rejected (Zahid Hussain/London Times, Jan. 20). Beg has previously publicly advocated a strategic partnership between Iran and Pakistan, according to the New York Times. In an interview in November, though, Beg denied approving any transfers of nuclear-related technologies. “I was privy to the nuclear policy,” Beg said. “There was a policy of restraint,” he added. Meanwhile, Pakistan yesterday banned its nuclear weapons scientists from leaving the country as Islamabad continued its investigation into possible nuclear proliferation, according to the Times. Military spokesman Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan Khan said the travel ban was intended as a security precaution. “Until the time investigations are completed … the government has to ensure that the scientists are present here,” he said (Masood/Rohde, New York Times, Jan. 21). So far, Islamabad has released three nuclear scientists and officials that had been detained as part of a probe into at least 11 scientists and officials with the A.Q. Khan Research Laboratories, Pakistan’s main nuclear weapons facility, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid said today. Rashid also said that Pakistan began its probe into possible proliferation activities by nuclear weapons scientists and officials after receiving a letter from the International Atomic Energy Agency in November (Agence France-Presse/Arab Times, Jan. 21). Family members of some of the remaining detainees yesterday publicly called for their release, according to the Associated Press. “First, they treated them as heroes of the nation,” said Sobia Nazeer Ahmad, daughter of KRL director Nazeer Ahmad. “Then they treated them like criminals,” she said (Patrick McDowell, Associated Press/Khaleej Times, Jan. 21).
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