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Musharraf was aware of nuclear shipment: Khan

Pakistan’s army under President Pervez Musharraf oversaw the shipment of key nuclear components to North Korea in 2000, the architect of Pakistan’s nuclear program said.

The allegation was made by scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, who was sacked and disgraced after his 2004 confession that he was solely responsible for spreading nuclear technology to Iran, North Korea and Libya.

The retired scientist’s comments could prove deeply embarrassing for Pakistan, which has repeatedly denied its army or government knew about Khan’s proliferation activities.

CENTRIFUGES

In a telephone interview on Friday, Khan said centrifuges — uranium enrichment equipment — were sent from Pakistan in a North Korean plane that was loaded under the supervision of Pakistani security officials.

Khan said the army had “complete knowledge” of the shipment of used P-1 centrifuges to North Korea and that it must have been sent with the consent of Musharraf, the then-army chief who took power in a 1999 coup.

“It was a North Korean plane, and the army had complete knowledge about it and the equipment,” Khan said. “It must have gone with his [Musharraf’s] consent.”

Musharraf’s spokesman, Rashid Qureshi, rejected Khan’s claims.

“I can say with full confidence that it is all lies and false statements,” he said.

ALLEGATIONS

In a speech on Friday, Musharraf himself made no mention of Khan’s allegations, but said he would not quit the presidency — as political opponents have been demanding — as he still had a valuable role to play.

After his 2004 confession, Khan was pardoned by Musharraf but he has effectively been kept under house arrest at his spacious villa in Islamabad.

Since a new civilian government took power after February elections, eclipsing Musharraf, the scientist has increasingly spoken out in the media. However, previously he has not implicated anyone or explicitly said the army was aware of nuclear shipments.

Asked why he had taken sole responsibility for the nuclear proliferation, Khan said he had been persuaded that it was in the national interest by friends. Khan said in return he had been promised complete freedom, but “those promises were not honored.”
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