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| Disgraced AQ Khan sold tons of centrifuge | | Musharraf pardoned him as he gave Pak atomic bomb | | B L KAK
NEW DELHI, SEPT. 25: President of Pakistan. Gen. Parvez Musharraf, has finally confirmed that AQ Khan, considered the 'father' of Pakistan's atomic bomb, sold nuclear centrifuge dcesigns, 18 tonnes of centrifuge parts and 2,000 complete units to North Korea, Libya and Iran. Gen. Musharraf's confirmation of the misdeeds of scientist Khan came on the US soil in the course of the 60 minutes programme of CBS aired on Sunday night.
And Gen. Musharraf's confession: AQ Khan was pardoned by him (Pak President) because "today he (Khan) is a hero of Pakistan--he gave us the atomic bomb". Answering a question, Pakistan President said that scientist Khan had been kept under house arrest "where he is comfortable".
When the interviewer suggested that others had not been allowed access to AQ Khan because he may spill the beans about Pakistani military's participation in the selling of nuclear technology, Gen. Musharraf said: "It is absolutely not the case". Even as the Pak President avoided being drawn into discussion on this issue, he attempted to bring down curtains by saying that both US President, George W Bush, and the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) were satisfied with the action taken against Khan who probably sold Pakistan's nuclear secrets for "ego satisfaction-- and money".
Gen. Musharraf, in the course of interview, was asked how Khan could cart away so much material under the watchful eye of the military. Gen. Musharraf first said that centrifuges were small things, then suggested that it could have been taken away in his car in parts. But he would not agree that it demonstrated the weakness of Pakistani security. In fact, it is strong, he asserted. The military was there to guard the nuclear establishment from external elements and not Khan. When the Pakistani scientist asked security men to put something in his car or C-130 transport planes, they did so.
Responding to another question, Pakistan President admitted that it was "a most embarrassing moment" when during a visit to Washington he was confronted with the evidence against Khan. Gen. Musharraf also confirmed that during that visit George Bush asked him to meet CIA Director, George Tenet, to discuss something "important". Tenet came, opened his brief case and handed him some papers to look at. "I saw that it was a centrifuge design with all our numbers and markings", Gen. Musharraf said.
Gen. Musharraf let it be known that he then went back to Pakistan and started his own investigations before taking action against Khan.
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