Islamabad, Jan 24: Pakistan's probe into its secret nuclear programme has revealed limited approval of cooperation with Iran by former military ruler Zia-ul-Haq while the fate of its father of atomic bomb Dr A Q Khan hangs in balance. The investigation of nuclear scientists, currently being grilled to determine allegations of proliferation of nuclear technology to Iran, pointed out that at least two Pakistani scientists acted inappropriately and exchanged information with Iran beyond the limit authorised to them by the government in late 1980s, a newspaper reported today.
It said one of them could be booked for violating Official Secrets Act.
Quoting local officials, the newspaper said former military ruler general Zia-ul-Haq had approved a longstanding request from the Iranian government in 1987 for an unpublicised cooperation in peaceful nuclear programme for non-military spheres.
"Just before his death in 1988 when I told Zia about Iran's growing interest in non-peaceful nuclear matters, he asked me to play around but not to yield anything substantial at any cost," it quoted an unnamed top retired nuclear scientist as saying.
The retired scientist, was, however, not very forthcoming about allegations about Zia's successor Aslam Beg who was accused of trying hard to prevail on the subsequent governments to help Iran to develop nuclear technology. He, however, said he was aware of Beg's successor trying to do the same but did not name him.
"I don't know about the exact nature of transfer of technology that took place but I knew that nothing moves in Pakistani nuclear spectrum without the knowledge of the Chief of Army Staff," the retired scientist said and questioned Beg's statement that the decision-making about nuclear programme was with former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and later with Nawaz Sharif.
The newspaper said that officials, however, did not discount Beg's influence and knowledge about the nuclear exchange that took place between some Pakistani and Iranian nuclear scientists in 1989-90.
An important voice in nuclear matters during that period was that of former President Ghulam Ishaq Khan. "If A Q Khan is the father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb, Ghulam Ishaq Khan was the grandfather," said a senior official said.
"From 1982 to 1993 Ishaq held the wallet for the nuclear programme," said a retired nuclear scientist. Ishaq Khan first arranged the finances of the nuclear programme as Zia's Finance Minister. He controlled that unique position as the chairman Senate (1985-88) and as President (1988-93).
“Strategic decision making rests with the respective Army chiefs, but Ishaq alone coordinated and controlled money matters as well as key strategic affairs. A q khan's most important patron in the government was Ishaq Khan," he said.
Ishaq Khan, 83, resigned as President after losing majority in the Parliament in 1993 and is currently living in his hometown in Peshawar where his relatives described him as "seriously ill". Bureau Report