On February 6th, I read a news item that stated that, the supreme court of Pakistan has struck down all the charges against the father of Pakistan’s nuclear programme, A Q Khan and declared that, there after khan will remain a free citizen of Pakistan. This incident will have major implications in the present world scenario.
In the year 1972, khan worked for URENCO, an Holland based uranium enrichment facility. When India conducted operation “smiling Buddha”, Pakistan was very desperate in having the minimum nuclear credibility. The Dutch authorities accuse that khan has stolen the blue prints of gas centrifuges and suddenly left Holland. When CIA assured that, it would track and monitor khan, Holland left the responsibility to US. Subsequently, Pakistan established a nuclear research facility at Kahuta. Later in 1998 Pakistan conducted its first nuclear test code named “Chagai-1”.
It is generally alleged there was a Chinese hand of support in the development of Pakistan’s nuclear bomb. It is also alleged that Pakistan was trading nuclear secrets with North Korea for Ballistic missile technology. It is also alleged that Khan was frequently contacted by Al-Qaeda to build a radiological bomb and the crude nuclear bomb. IAEA reported Iran has built Uranium enrichment facility based on the blue print of URENCO. In 2004, Govt of Pakistan reported that khan has divulged nuclear secrets to Iran, Libya and North Korea. There after he was placed under house arrest.
6th February turned the events dramatic. With his release, it is a tough time for the IAEA to safeguard the Nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Atleast, what we could hope is that Khan’s nuclear knowledge should not fall in the hands of al-Qaeda or Hizbul-mujahideen. Let us hope for the best and plan for the worst.
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