Amritsar: Former Pakistan foreign secretary Shaharyar M Khan on Monday said that the Musharraf government did not take any ‘sincere’ steps to curb terrorism from Pakistan soil.
Khan, who is in India to attend a book release function, also said that Pakistan’s nuclear scientist Abdul Qyum Khan was being made a scapegoat.
During a halt in Amritsar, Khan said it was unfortunate that the military government had failed to control terrorists in Pakistan and allowed them to spread all around Pakistan. “And now we are facing terrorist attack almost every day in various parts of Pakistan.”
Khan said that the previous Pakistan government had sprinkled dust in the eyes of the world community by arresting a person or two.
“We have inherited the problem of terrorism,” said Khan.
Khan also said that the present Asif Ali Zardari government has decided to be strong-minded in fighting terrorism at any cost. However, it’s not an easy task.
Reacting on Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Sharyar Khan said that the judiciary in Pakistan has become stronger and independent than ever. If strong evidence against Hafiz Saeed was produced before the court, he would certainly be brought to justice.
However, Khan said till now whatever evidence was given was not admissible in the court of law and the result was that Pakistan was being blamed for letting Hafiz Saeed go scot free.
Khan reiterated that today’s judiciary in Pakistan was strong and could not be influenced by political leaders.
Talking about AQ Khan, Shaharyar Khan said that the Pakistan had used him as a scapegoat to save itself from American fury. He is being blamed for ‘misdeeds’, which he didn’t commit.
Khan said that as a former foreign secretary, he could say that Pakistan had refused to give Iran any secret papers relating to nuclear weapons.
Hoping for a normal relation with India Khan said he knows that this could not be achieved overnight. It takes time. But the day will come when the wishes of the ordinary persons of both countries would be realised.
He is in India for the release of the book “Shadows Across The Playing Fields” which has been co-authored by himself and the Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor. It is to be released on September 24 in New Delhi.
ANI
First Published: Monday, September 21, 2009, 20:19