Dr Qadir - A national hero or traitor

[blain2]

Blain the article you provided is from AHMED QURAISHI a well known idiot. What are you trying to prove just bullet point them, I rather agree or disagree on what you say than read an Idiots article, who blatantly supports the establishment.

I am not trying to prove anything. Just sharing an opinion which all of the other posts here do as well.

Also its a matter of opinion whether he is an idiot or not. I think he is fiercely nationalistic over anything else and stands out for this, otherwise Pakistani journalistic landscape is filled with the usual party line pushers. He has called out issues with Musharraf and team in the past as well so I am not so sure of his support for the establishment only. What I do agree with is his point that instead of politicking, its time to watch out for Pakistan's interests first and not party interests.

Here is another opinion about the champion of Pakistani democracy NS and Mohsin-e-qaum A Q Khan:

Wanted: men not boys


By Cyril Almeida

BOYS will be boys, but grown men need to stop acting like brats. Nawaz Sharif and Dr A.Q. Khan can’t believe they aren’t getting their way, so they are chucking all their toys out of their prams.

The trouble for the rest of us is that they have grown-up toys such as governments and nuclear secrets.

Take a peek inside Nawaz’s pram. His idea of supporting the coalition from the outside is to disown everything the government does. The N-League has become the political wife from hell, nagging the government on every issue it can think of, micro and macro.

Militancy, rather than doing something to stop the militants, is the League’s biggest peeve. Nawaz and company tell us that the militants should be engaged in dialogue. Yes, if dialogue was the name of a new weapon. It’s absurd. There exists in this country of ours a Tehrik Taliban-i-Pakistan, Swat chapter. As if it’s an international philanthropic organisation or a sports club. But the N-League wants us to hug and kiss the militants. And talk politely. The tough talk is reserved for its coalition partner, the PPP.

On a late night political talk show, I tired of the PML-N’s dissembling and vague talk of dialogue. Siddiqul Farooq, mouthpiece of the League, was a phone-in guest and was spouting his party’s usual line of wanting peace and lambasting the government for not consulting his party on the Khyber operation. When Farooq repeated ad nauseum that dialogue was the way ahead, I asked him an elementary question: what do Mangal Bagh, Ansarul Islam and Haji Naamdaar want? Surely if the N-League knows how to deal with this issue, they must know something about these men. The Leaguers wouldn’t suggest a solution without knowing the problem, would they?

They would. Or at least that’s what they are saying publicly. Farooq couldn’t tell me what Khyber’s bad boys wanted because, well, the record hadn’t been placed before parliament. Here’s an idea for the N-League: read a newspaper. Or pick up a phone and dial Bara. What they will find is that the government is trying to pass the appearance of doing something against militancy for actually doing something against militancy.

The Khyber war that the paramilitary forces have gone in to stamp out is a festering Deobandi-Barelvi dispute. In the black corner are the Deobandi, Mufti Munir Shakir, and his Lashkar-i-Islam. In the green corner stand Barelvi, Pir Saifur Rehman, and his Ansarul Islam. The two are amongst the original crop of Mullah FMs who used their illegal radio broadcasts to spew venom against each other.

Predictably, violence erupted in Khyber. Equally predictably, the state was tardy in asserting its authority. The duelling preachers were finally forced out of Khyber in 2006, but not before passing on the torch of bigotry and intolerance to their followers. Enter Mangal Bagh, a little man with big aspirations, who donned Mufti Shakir’s mantle of the self-proclaimed defender of the local Deobandi population against foreign, mystical Barelvi preachers. To anyone familiar with Mr Bagh, the man is a thug. But since he has wrapped himself up in the cloak of Islam, the N-League thinks we must hold his hand and listen to him.

There is a third character up in Khyber. Sitting pretty is one Haji Naamdaar. He is one of the promotion-of-virtue-and-prevention-of-vice groups. Of the three groups, the only one which is genuinely believed to have connections with the Taliban is Mr Naamdaar’s. But Naamdaar has made himself useful by lately turning on the Taliban and Baitullah Mehsud, making him a state favourite for now.

So, yes, the farcical operation in Bara should be criticised. The N-League though has grabbed the hind legs of reason. While it’s well and good to put down thugs and stamp out religious wars, it’s dangerously disingenuous to foist it off as a battle against the Taliban. However, Nawaz has cynically calculated that he needs to distance himself from everything unpopular the government does, so that he isn’t tarred with the same brush in case things go wrong. Tough times call for statesmen, but Pakistan is blessed with snivellers.

Over in the other pram, Dr Khan is choking on his spittle. When the ersatz scientist confessed to crimes high and low, he thought he would be let off for taking a hit for the team. But Musharraf threw Khan under the bus, locking him up and hoping the world would forget about him. Khan has been stewing in his home ever since, fantasising about taking revenge against the generals who have wronged him.

There is no real reason to doubt the bit about the generals knowing of and facilitating Khan’s nuclear shenanigans. From the cunning Beg to the urbane Karamat to the duplicitous Musharraf, fingers have been pointed at army chiefs for a while now. It probably isn’t much of a comfort to the generals, but it’s a good thing that no one believes their denials. For if the generals were believed on this count it would mean that everyone thinks that the army is so incompetent, so easily duped, so staggeringly clueless that its most prized assets — nuclear paraphernalia — could be merrily shipped around the world without its knowledge. You can’t exactly shove a P-1 centrifuge down your trousers and saunter out of Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) whistling a Bollywood ditty. So the grim faces in GHQ, Strategic Planning Division and KRL should soften a little — at least the people don’t think they are stupid.

But Khan ought to know better than to prattle to the media on proliferation. He has been known to drop bombshells ever since hubris got the better of him when he talked to eminent journalist Kuldip Nayar two decades ago. This time though it isn’t about sending any signals to India or the US; it’s just a caged, old man lashing out recklessly against his tormentor. Such are our heroes today. A young foreign minister once swore that Pakistan would eat grass or leaves, even go hungry, to get the bomb. Khan can’t even swallow his pride for the bomb.

And what has our political godfather been up to as Pakistan goes to hell? Well, Asif racked up frequent flier miles on a trip to sunny Athens for the International Socialist Conference. Because, you know, Mr Ten Per Cent is a socialist. The socialists must be in dire trouble: inviting Zardari to address a gathering of socialists is bit like asking Madonna to perform at a nun’s retreat.

A thought exercise for the week: if an alien landed in Pakistan from the skies above today, what would he think? Good night and good luck.

 

[Spring Onion]

"The father of Pakistan’s nuclear programme gave a fatal statement which will have a very negative effect on our country and its nuclear programme. Looking at the recently built environment, where USA and the European are waging a propaganda war against Pakistan’s nuclear assets. The statement by AQ Khan that President Musharraf and army were involved in proliferation of centrifuges to North Korea appears to be an open invitation to the enemies of Pakistan and its strategic weapons programme.

Dr Khan’s contribution to the nuclear programme was crucial in terms of bringing in Uranium enrichment technology but he was not alone responsible for the strides that Pakistan made in the nuclear and missile field. He was accompanied by a large number of patriotic and dedicated scientists and engineers who equally contributed to the accomplishment of our strategic weapons.

Pakistan is a frontline state against the war on terror. The USA is not satisfied with the role, Pakistan is playing against the war on terror. They blame that Pakistan is not doing enough. The statement of CIA chief, Michael Hayden that the next 9/11 will emerge from the tribal areas of Pakistan, indicates that they are softening up the grounds to attack Pakistan’s nukes. The USA along with their Zionists agenda is creating misinformation that Pakistan’s nukes may fall into the hands of religious fanatics. All this is a game plan against Pakistan’s deterrent weapons.

The USA in fact does not rely on second hand information from Islamabad on this issue and demands a direct access to Dr AQ Khan. In such an environment the statement of our national hero seems to be serving the interest of our enemies.

Unfortunately Dr AQ Khan is suffering from a incurable chronic disease, cancer. No doubt, that AQ Khan is one of the most respected personalities in Pakistan but being an unfortunate cancer patient, his statements depict the anxiety as an implication of this chronic disease. AQ Khan’s statement should be considered as a result of deep depression.

What the previous did to Dr Khan by confining him to his residence under protective custody and denying him access to media was a right decision. His confinement saved him and his country. The present government after briefly lifting the ban on his access to the media has sensibly reimposed it. It should be very clear that only Pakistani officials can question Dr Khan."

 

[muse]

"Take a peek inside Nawaz’s pram. His idea of supporting the coalition from the outside is to disown everything the government does. The N-League has become the political wife from hell, nagging the government on every issue it can think of, micro and macro."


Well, why balme Nawaz for being who and what he is - why not form alliances with the Q-leage, Awami and MQM? because Nawaz will do what if Maulana Diesel and/or some other Qazi type gets a minsitry or two where they can do no harm??

Seems to me that the behavior of Nawaz suits PPP - why else tolerate it?

 

[asad ikram]

when u give so much tensions to man which is father of ur nuclear programm and save pakistan from our enemies .what he do! .why he came on pakistan when our lovely prime minister call him back to pakistan for building the nuclear sector ,if he refuse to came to pakistan and work their in holand i have sure that he can earn so much money and comfort to live in holand but he agree to come back to pakistan so that he save the nation from enemies.but our nation forgots his blessing and now he is kept in his house and cannot met with his own relatives since five years.why our peoples do this why !our cheif justice iftikhar ch ,our leader sister FATIMA JINAH died in 1967 ..seeing the pakistan peoples what they are doing for high seats.see in india .their sceintist DR adulkalam has given the president chair of india unless he is muslim and we see that muslims -hindu clashes are there .but their nation donot forgets his blessing.iF DR QADIR donot build the nuclear sector then i am sure that indians and american are wandering there and we face terror in our nation eyes like in peoples of iraq .afganistan,phlastine .........................
think about that!

 

[M.KHURRAM.KHAN [747 ARMY]]

DR ABDUL QADEER S A national hero.we need to take help from him to power boost our technology

 

[IceCold]

I personally don't buy this story about DR. Abdul Qadeer the only one being involved in this incident. I'm sure the establishment also knew what was going on but when things got out of hand, he was used as a scape goat. Unfair it maybe however i would agree that he needs now specially to keep his mouth shut. The reason is that the west in particular the US is finding any possibility that it can get to have an access to Pakistan's nuclear program either by creating doubts about its security or a direct military action. In either way our nuclear program is on a severe risk if Dr Qadeer sacrificed then, he should do it now as well. This cross fire of words about who did what, will not hurt any one in particular but Pakistan.

 

[roadrunner]

DR ABDUL QADEER KHAN IS RIGHT.

Well, there's just no arguing with that piece of excellent and well thought out reasoning.

 

[roadrunner]

DR ABDUL QADEER S A national hero.we need to take help from him to power boost our technology

Actually AQ Khan has not invented any technology for himself. He's just taken the credit for it. He's a metallurgist

 

[muse]

"I personally don't buy this story about DR. Abdul Qadeer the only one being involved in this incident"

So, what's your point? Dr. Khan a scapegoat? So, what's your point again?

What's important here? that the entire program be opened up? or that the entire issue laid to rest? Which would be best for Pakistan and why?

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Khurram Khan sahib,

Please elaborate upon your thought process when posting opinions.

One line statements do little for encouraging debate.

 

[Majnun]

What a brilliant observation but I fail to see the point of it.
DR. William Harvey (described properties of blood/circulation), Franz Josef Hayden (composer), Dr. Joseph E. Murray (Kidney transplants ), Phyicist/Scientist Claude Cohen-Tannoudji (Trapped atoms with laser light) and Activist Wangari Maathai who planted 12 million trees in Kenya all share the same birthday.
Yes, the world is made of fools.

Uhh... I think she meant that he lies.

 

[IceCold]

"I personally don't buy this story about DR. Abdul Qadeer the only one being involved in this incident"

So, what's your point? Dr. Khan a scapegoat? So, what's your point again?

What's important here? that the entire program be opened up? or that the entire issue laid to rest? Which would be best for Pakistan and why?

Point is muse that this issue should now be laid to rest. This blame game should now stop. Don't we get it that US is watching very closely the development that is taking place regarding our nuclear program and all it needs is a motive to intervene. All we will achieve by this mud slinging is to give US one. I hope my point is clear.

 

[muse]

Every Intervention of the Armed Forces has been preceeded by the failureof the politicians to agree to the rules of the game, when national interest is a plaything of political interests, it is clear that the rules of the game are honoured in their breach: Guardians must act, the sooner the better



Making sense of nuclear divide in Musharraf country
BY DR MOEED PIRZADA (Pakistan)

11 July 2008 Print E-mail
Pakistani nuclear scientist, Dr AQ Khan's recent pronouncements implicating President Musharraf and the army in clandestine nuclear proliferation, and the storm that erupted once again demonstrated the country's deeply polarised politics.

Western writers and columnists had often referred to Allah, Army and the Atom bomb as the uniting factors in Pakistani consciousness. Now it appears as if even this is questionable; nothing is above politics and there is no definition of national interest- not anymore.

Dr Khan's statements are not being treated as an individual act of desperation. Far from it. The ease of restrictions upon him after the Feb 18th elections; his repeated interviews with national and international press and his recent utterances all point to that context of deliberate encouragement and moral support in which he has launched his salvos against Musharraf, army and thus by implication the state of Pakistan. But who are the people egging him on? This "motley crowd" includes the politicians whose hatred of Musharraf extends beyond the necessities of politics; ultra-nationalist retired army officers and the Islamists like Qazi Hussain Ahmed who treat Musharraf as an American appendage and the civil society activists who think that exit of Musharraf will reduce American influence, cut army to its size and will strengthen constitutionalism. All of these have at one time or the other used AQ Khan as a symbol of whatever was wrong with Musharraf. Except for the politicians whose reasons against Musharraf are purely emotional; the common uniting theme among the other groups is distrust of the United States and hatred of Musharraf, whom they see as a vital component of the American design in Pakistan.

AQ Khan's utterances that have progressed in a very calculating fashion since the easing of restrictions upon him are supposed to meet two strategic objectives:

One, to malign Musharraf in Pakistani politics providing popular symbols of hatred against him now that the Chief Justice has started to fade; Second is the hope that this "disclosure" will put Musharraf's sympathisers within the US on defensive, will shrink his support and will help in kicking him out.

But will this really happen? Lets look at the second possibility: international scene.

These 'disclosures' come almost eight years after the alleged transfer of centrifuges to North Korea. And these eight years have changed the field and issues in many ways.

|There's no denying that in his mind — and to some researchers looking for sensational topics for new books — Dr Khan, itching to speak out 'the truth' is still very important. But many others, who are actually interested in the subject of non-proliferation rather than obsessed with the so-called Muslim bomb, will remember that since he was removed as head of the KRL laboratories in 2001, he has little real relevance to the networks that now exist. Also, the six-party talks with North Korea have moved much ahead. And though both sides still have reservations, North Korea has agreed in principle to dismantle its nuclear installations and the US has agreed in principle to take it off the list of "states sponsoring terror".

President Bush has already announced easing trade sanctions imposed on North Korea.

And given the tacit understanding between the Bush administration and Musharraf that whatever happened did happen in the past, the biggest requirement of the US and the international community has been that Pakistan should strengthen its export controls and oversight abilities.

And repeatedly the visiting US officials and non-proliferation experts have expressed their confidence in Pakistan's institutional controls, put into place with the establishment of Strategic Planning Division.

In this respect, the recent testimony of Michael Kreppon, of the Henry L. Stimson Center, before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, is worth reading.

Also, a very significant development has been the proposed Indo-US nuclear co-operation deal that is once again being given a shot before the end of the Bush presidency. It has changed the whole discussion of non-proliferation in a considerable fashion.

Now it is true that some researchers, over-zealous non-proliferation experts, writers and certain lobbies and interest groups that are passionate about this issue as it provides an opportunity to curtail the autonomy of the Pakistani state will certainly raise temperature inside Washington within the next few weeks.

However, many others will also be reading the real intentions and ideological leanings of the 'motley crowd' that is pushing the agenda against Musharraf, which in this instance, has strong overtones of anti-Americanism and disregard for international concerns. Now coming back to the first possibility: the domestic scene; it is apparent that people on the street see Dr. Khan as a national hero humiliated by Musharraf following America's orders.

This can certainly strengthen the hands of the anti-Musharraf forces as they make another fresh bid to throw him out by a show of raw street power.

However, by employing Dr. Khan as a symbol of political unity they are again going to demonstrate their serious disconnect with the world around them. This is a repeat of the confusion seen on the eve of the Lal Masjid crisis.

Musharraf's mother might have been rightly worried for his academic future; and many politicians may be right when they describe him as a reasonably standardized military officer with the "war, women and wine" kind of vision you imbibe from military academies.

Problem is after Benazir's sudden exit and the antics of the political lot since Feb 18, he has started to look like a visionary; at least someone with a coherent world view.

And by attempting to use Dr. Khan as a political symbol, his opponents might force his supporters internally and externally to cling more desperately around him thus giving him longevity. This is called the law of unintended consequences.

Finally, the net outcome of all the mud- slinging can be an increased leverage of the US over the Pak army forcing the military to make even bigger concessions in the war against terrorism. And this alone testifies to the worldview of the 'motley crowd' that encouraged the wizard of the KRL to launch his missiles.

Moeed Pirzada, a broadcaster and political analyst with GEO TV, has been a Britannia Chevening scholar at London School of Economics and Political Science. Email: mp846@columbia.edu

 

[moha199]

A Q KHAN should not have opend his mouth!!!!! He should stop hiding behind bushes and come up again and admit that his network was alone responsible for the dirty work.... We hired him to obtain the N-technology he could not have done by himself. Credit goes to ISI and Pak army not to A Q KHAN second point is that his words will alone hurt PKAISTAN not the new goverment nor Musharraff! We were already in trouble and now he pushed us more into the hole. He was a hero for me too until he opend his mouth. Now he is nothing but a traitor. Who back stabed the entire nation. Funny part is our people don't even get it. When USA wanted to go on war with iraq she built the case against it now it looks like its Pakistan's turn. Its dumb to say USA can't harm us or will not. It seems like USA started to buy our leaders to weaken Pakistan. XCJ iftikhar A Q KHAN Nawaz are hurting pakistan the most at this point then any body else. Situation is so bad now that a person like me who was always against MQM started to think that MQM is atleast not giving USA excuses or helping USA to build a case against Pakistan.( seems like MQM even knows that if there is no Pakistan there is no MQM but NS XCJ AQ KHAN and our other political leaders seems not to understand it)

 

[muse]

L’affaire AQ Khan
Ijaz Hussain


Dr AQ Khan recently accused the army and Pervez Musharraf of supervising a shipment of centrifuges to North Korea in 2000. He also repudiated the confessional statement that he had made in 2004 in which he took upon himself the sole responsibility for nuclear proliferation. He claimed that he made the statement in question in the “national interest” but was now repudiating it because the government had failed to honour the promises that it made to him.

The DG, Strategic Plans Division, denied these allegations and claimed to possess irrefutable evidence to prove Khan’s involvement in nuclear proliferation. He also showed readiness to share the evidence with neutral people on camera.

What are the implications of Khan’s outburst?

To address the fallout issue, we need to first understand how the West looks at nuclear proliferation by Pakistan. There seems to a clear divide between western governments on the one hand and the western media and think tanks on the other.

The former agree with the Pakistani government’s viewpoint that it was not involved in this sinister business; and that Khan acted alone. For example, the Bush Administration and the EU have issued a clean bill of health in favour of the Pakistani government.

The latter totally disagree with this viewpoint and see the Pakistani government’s hand in it. For example, Hans Blix, former head of the IAEA and UNMOVIC and head of the Swedish Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission, observed in a December 2006 report that Khan could not have acted “without awareness of the Pakistan government”. Similarly, the 2007 IISS report suggested that the past Pakistani governments had knowledge of, and were even involved in, Khan’s secondary proliferation activities.

Irrespective of the merits of the case, the Pakistani government has won the debate as far as western governments are concerned. Did this happen because they were convinced of Pakistan’s innocence or did they do so because they had no other choice given their absolute need to have Pakistan on board in the war on terror?

Given the visceral western hostility to Pakistan’s nuclear programme, it is hard to imagine that they would let the opportunity to attack it slip, let alone readily believe in its non-culpability. Circumstantial evidence suggests that they accepted the Pakistani government’s version for practical reasons.

Adrian Levy and Catherine Scott-Clark, authors of the book Deception: Pakistan, the United States, and the Secret Trade in Nuclear Weapons, may not be wrong in their suggestion that US Depute Secretary of State Richard Armitage made a secret deal with Musharraf in 2004 by virtue of which the Bush Administration agreed to give immunity to the generals involved in nuclear smuggling in exchange for Khan’s arrest; and accepted Musharraf’s continuation as president in uniform.

As to the significance of Khan’s outburst, let us first comprehend what he is alleging. He is claiming the involvement of the Pakistan Army in nuclear proliferation activities specifically in the case of North Korea in the year 2000, whereas the DG SPD is referring to Khan’s proliferation activities in general which would include Iran and Libya in addition to North Korea.

Let us not forget that in the confessional statement, Khan is reported to have admitted transferring nuclear technology to Iran between 1989 and 1991, to Libya and North Korea between 1991 and 1997, and to the latter again in 2000. It appears from the foregoing that Khan is denying his proliferation role in the 2000 episode only while implicitly admitting it in case of other transfers.

It means that Khan is not making some general and nebulous allegations against Pakistan’s nuclear establishment but specific ones. This must be grist to the mill of those who are opposed to Pakistan’s nuclear programme. It signifies that, notwithstanding the statement made by the FO spokesperson that the nuclear proliferation issue is a closed chapter, the present episode virtually reopens it.

American congressmen and others who are always itching to have direct access to Khan on the pretext of getting to the bottom of the nuclear smuggling network are likely to use this revelation to promote their anti-Pakistan agenda. Besides, Khan’s outburst has put on the line the credibility of the Pakistani government that always claimed to believe and practice nuclear non-proliferation policy.

Was Khan guided in his confessional statement by the “national interest” as he claims? The answer is that the “national interest” is as dear to him as it was to Musharraf when he staged a mini-coup on November 3, 2007 and sent 60 judges packing.

The unvarnished truth is that he was involved in nuclear smuggling. If this were not the case, he would have never made the confessional statement, the ‘national interest’ argument notwithstanding. The fact of the matter is that Khan has struck because he knows that the army’s and Musharraf’s stock is very low with the public; and that this is an opportune moment to regain the public’s esteem as evidenced by the following statement:

“People still respect me, and if anyone has any doubts and thinks himself more popular, he should go with me to Aabpara or Raja Bazaar. You can cut my nose if his [Musharraf’s] clothes remain untorn.”

Another reason why he has made this frontal attack against the nuclear establishment is that he feels that it is vulnerable. This is so because he knows that the West is not satisfied with the details supplied to it on the nuclear proliferation issue generally and his 2004 “debriefing” in particular.

Taking advantage of this weakness, he has decided to hit back with specific details by divulging that the proliferation incident took place in 2000.

Why has Khan acted like a bull in a china shop? Many critics blame the Pakistani government for pushing him to the wall. They contend that it did not fulfil the promises made to him. For example, they say that he was held incommunicado for over four years and was not allowed to lead the life of a normal citizen. Apart from the security argument, the government on its part justifies its actions on the ground that whenever he was given freedom, he abused it. Gen Kidwai of SPD cites the example of how, contrary to the agreement, in a short span of time he gave twenty interviews to international agencies when he was allowed to use a cell phone.

Notwithstanding the above controversy, the fact remains that Khan is an ambitious man. Through years of media manipulation, he succeeded in building his image as the “father of the atom bomb” and the “benefactor of Pakistan”. He harboured the ambition of becoming President of Pakistan one day. Following his house arrest, his supporters argued that whereas India honoured its ace scientist Abul Kalam by making him president, Musharraf humiliated the “benefactor of Pakistan”.

Now what he is trying to do is not just to get his freedom back but to rehabilitate himself to the position that he enjoyed previously. Will he succeed? Honestly speaking, in a country where looters of the nation’s wealth not only get rehabilitated but also become its honourable rulers, everything is possible.

The writer is a former dean of social sciences at the Quaid-i-Azam University. He can be reached at hussain_ijaz@hotmail.com