ISLAMABAD, 1 February 2004 — Pakistan yesterday sacked the father of the country’s nuclear weapons program, Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, as scientific adviser to the prime minister.
A government statement said Khan had “ceased to hold the office” of special adviser to the prime minister on the strategic program, which holds the status of federal minister.
The decision coincided with a meeting of the National Command Authority (NCA) chaired by President Pervez Musharraf. The NCA is made up of military, political and scientific officials and controls Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.
The military repeated Musharraf’s assertions that any illegal proliferation was carried out by rogue scientists without official involvement.
“The NCA... reiterated Pakistan’s strong resolve and commitment in adherence to international agreements of non-proliferation,” an NCA statement said.
“The government condemns and distances itself in categorical terms from individual acts of indiscretion in the past.”
Hours after the government decision, the military said security had been enhanced for Khan. “It is done because the government is concerned about his security,” Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan, top military spokesman, said.
“There are allegations and things are under investigation... that’s why his security has been enhanced.”
Khan’s dismissal came in the wake of investigations into alleged acts of nuclear proliferation by a few individuals and to facilitate those investigations in a free and objective manner, the government statement.
Khan has emerged as a key suspect in the investigation, launched in November following information provided by Iran to the UN nuclear watchdog. It was not immediately clear if further legal action would be taken against Khan or any others.
Khan had held the adviser position since 2001, when he retired as head of the country’s top nuclear facility.
Six scientists and security officials from the nuclear facility — the Khan Research Laboratories, named after Khan — are being held in the probe over allegations of nuclear technology transfers to Iran and Libya.
Analysts have said a decision to punish top scientists, particularly Khan, would be a tough one for Musharraf and likely trigger an angry reaction from nationalists. Khan is revered at home as the architect of Pakistan’s nuclear deterrent against rival India and for giving the Islamic world its first atomic bomb.
An opposition Islamist party immediately came to Khan’s defense and accused Musharraf of caving in to the West by sacking him. It also said it would stage protest rallies.
“For years Western powers were after Abdul Qadeer Khan. Now they have succeeded,” Ameerul Azeem, a spokesman for Jamaat-e-Islami party, said. “Gen. Pervez Musharraf has made another scapegoat to please America. He is now after the national heroes.”
However, analysts said that simply removing Khan from the adviser post could be a way to avoid a domestic backlash and a public trial — and might also be viewed as too soft a step by the international community.
Officials have said that Khan and a top aide, Mohammed Farooq, have failed to account for money in personal bank accounts. Farooq is among the six scientists in custody.
Khan and Farooq have told investigators they did not supply any technology to Iran and Libya, and Khan has maintained he did nothing to damage the interests of Pakistan.
— Additional input from agencies
