The Hindu : 'A nuclear cover-up'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 15, 2004

International

International

'A nuclear cover-up'

By Batuk Gathani

BRUSSELS, FEB. 14. In an exclusive front-page story, The Financial Times today carried the statements of the relatives of six detained Pakistani nuclear scientists, who accuse the Pakistan Government of a "nuclear cover up."

The relatives of the scientists — who worked with A.Q. Khan, "father of the Islamic bomb" — propose to present on Monday "evidence" about transfer of nuclear parts to Libya, Iran, and North Korea. They accused the Pakistani military establishment of "indulging in a cover-up to protect the Pakistani military from being tainted by the nuclear proliferation scandal."

The Pakistan Government had alleged that the scientists "passed on "nuclear manuals, designs and machinery to foreign countries" [thought to be Libya, Iran and North Korea]. The scientists are detained at an undisclosed location. They worked closely with Mr. Khan, who was pardoned last week by the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharaff, after he publicly confessed his guilt on state TV and asked for pardon. Pakistani authorities complied with Mr. Khan's request, but the same treatment has not been granted to the six scientists who worked under him.

The relatives intend to present evidence showing that the scientists could not have transferred the nuclear material and data from the Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) without being detected. They said the KRL was closely guarded by the Pakistan Army and the Inter-Services Intelligence.

The Pakistani authorities say that the intense security was to protect the scientists from "external" threats and that the scientists were given "lot of autonomy".

he relatives told the newspaper that "they [the scientists] are being made a scapegoat" and "we will call on the Government to conduct transparent investigation under due process of law."

However, Pakistan says that the scientists had been detained under a law that would classify the six as a security threat. They are "rogue scientists," led by Mr. Khan, "who operated without the knowledge of any higher authority."

According to the report, the Pakistan Minister of Information would not comment on the relatives' specific allegations but said they should await the outcome of the investigation.

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