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Khan issue: MMA strike fizzles out

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, FEB. 6 . The call for a nation-wide strike in support of the disgraced nuclear scientist, A.Q. Khan, by the religious parties has failed to evoke a good response in most parts of Pakistan.

Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, an alliance of six religious parties, had called for the protest against what it had termed as `framing' of Dr. Khan and his colleagues by the Government under pressure from the U.S.

Of course, the strike call lost its relevance the moment Dr. Khan appeared on the state-run television on Wednesday and confessed to have passed on sensitive nuclear technology to Iran, Libya and North Korea.

However, senior leaders of the religious parties' alliance have been harping on the theme that Dr. Khan has made the confession under duress and if voice was not raised against the episode, the day is not far off when America would demand that Pakistan roll back its nuclear programme.

It is to counter this campaign that Gen. Musharraf at his press conference repeatedly emphasised the irreversible nuclear programme of Pakistan. He also made it a point to praise Dr. Khan as his hero and said action against him was inevitable in the larger interests of the country.

It is for the fourth time since 9/11 that religious parties in Pakistan have failed to mobilise people on the streets in protest against the alleged pro-west policies of Gen. Musharraf. Of course, part of the success of the MMA in the October 2002 general election was attributed to the anger among the electorate on the Government U-turn on Afghan policy.

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