The Hindu Business Line : Pakistan's nuclear proliferation pangs

"INDIA ne apney nuclear scientist, Dr Abdul Kalam sahab ko President bana diya, aur hamney apney national hero, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, ko zillat di. Yehi tau fark hei dono mulko mei.

(India rewarded its nuclear scientist, Dr Abdul Kalam by elevating him as President. But we insulted our national hero Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan This is the vital difference between the two countries," says Akhtar Ahmed, my taxi driver here.

He is reflecting the popular opinion in the streets of Pakistan on the entire drama surrounding the nuclear proliferation expose, in which Dr Khan was at first arrested, then made to give a public admission of his involvement and ask for apology from the national on PTV. Following this he was granted pardon within a day by the Paksitan President, though via the route of the Cabinet, with there being little doubt that the entire chapter was scripted by the Pakistan President Gen. Pervez Musharraf.

The MMA (Muttahida Majlis Amal), formed by the Islamic parties, that is supporting the Jamali Government from outside, continues to be agitated by the entire affair. Its leaders feel that Dr Khan has been made a scapegoat primarily because the Pakistani leadership has once again caved in before American pressure. Most letters in newspapers endorse this view, with the odd ones arguing that it was high time that Pakistan cleared up its nuclear stable, and welcoming the Government's decision.

In the meantime Dr Khan continues to be under house arrest, he cannot answer his telephone or meet anybody. There was a brief ripple earlier in the week, when the media reported that he had suffered heart attacks and was being treated at home. The Government promptly responded that he is fine and his health is being taken care of.

While the man on the street continues to have admiration for the "father of the Islamic bomb", political analysts and media columnists have not only supported the treatment meted out to Dr Khan, but also questioned his "pardon".

Leading the pack is Dawn's most read columnist Ardeshir Cowasjee, who in his column `Pardon undeserved' has castigated Dr Khan for having acted purely for "material greed. Our man is lucky.

"Circumstances being what they are, and Pakistan having been brought to the plight in which it finds itself, there was no option but to let off lightly the biggest fish in the international nuclear proliferation pond in the hope that the entire issue will blur and fade, overtaken by yet another crisis in the string of crises by which this country seems forever beset."

Accusing Dr Khan of not only acquiring substantial real estate and other assets at home and overseas with his ill-gotten wealth, the columnist says that he also misused his status as a national hero to lend his name and collect funds for several educational and health institutions. One such was an institution for the mentally ill, which thanks to Dr Khans whims, remained closed thank to a dispute, denying free treatment to 10,000 mentally ill persons.

"We know with what dexterity Gen. Pervez Musharraf has acted in the national interest," says Mr Cowasjee, urging the General's intervention, with similar dexterity, in getting the institute re-opened.

While for the benefit of the ulemas and religious teachers, Gen. Musharraf thundered at their conference in Islamabad on February 18, that the country's nuclear programme would only be strengthened, there is skepticism in one segment in Pakistan that sooner than later the US will de-nuke Pakistan.

Islamabad-based media personality Mr Ayaz Amir argues that it was not Dr Khan who the US was after, but the country's nuclear programme. "The US has never liked Pakistan's nuclear capability. So its larger aim was never just to get Khan; it was always to de-nuke Pakistan. Far from resisting these designs, we have abetted them by going to inordinate lengths to write, in our own hand, the charge sheet against Pakistan," he says.

But commenting on the issue, retired Army General Talat Masood, told Business Line, "I feel that while Dr Khan's contribution on uranium enrichment has been enormous, it goes without saying that he is very much responsible for leaking nuclear information out of Pakistan. So while we can give him credit for the good things he has done, at the same time he has to share the blame for bringing such a bad name to Pakistan."

When asked that surely he could not have acted alone, the General said, "Well that is true, but he took advantage of the fact that he had an enormous amount of autonomy and trust. And it was very difficult for anybody to find out whether he was moving around to acquire or to give!" But there is little doubt that the entire nuclear espionage saga has created a crisis of confidence in the country.

Writing in the Dawn, Mr F.S. Aijazuddin, finance professional from Lahore, finds the "national trauma" comparable to that faced by Pakistanis in 1971. Describing it as a "crisis of confidence, credibility and faith" he says Paksitanis are left wondering whether in the "altered circumstances of our confessed trade in nuclear proliferation, we will be allowed the sovereign prerogative to retain complete control over our nuclear assets, to deploy in whichever manner we choose? Only time and history and the latent possibility of future sanctions will tell," he concludes.

Response may be sent to rasheeda@thehindu.co.in

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Pakistan's nuclear proliferation pangs