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Pak govt covering up nuke controversy: Benazir
New Delhi, Feb 24: Former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto alleged that General Pervez Musharraf was trying to ``cover up`` the nuclear controversy involving the country`s top scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, and asserted that the incident could not have taken place without the general`s knowledge.
New Delhi, Feb 24: Former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto alleged that General Pervez Musharraf was trying to ''cover up'' the nuclear controversy involving the country's top scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, and asserted that the incident could not have taken place without the general's knowledge.
''We believe there is a cover up and we want the real culprits identified so that this can never happen again. It puts Pakistan in a very dangerous situation...'' Bhutto said while accusing President Musharraf of ''endangering'' Pakistan's nuclear assets.
However, Islamabad rejected Bhutto's observations saying these reflected the ''thoughts and aspirations of an enemy rather than a friend of Pakistan.'' Pakistan information minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmed said the whole world was convinced that neither the Pakistani government nor the army was involved in nuclear proliferation but she was insisting on the allegation.
He regretted that instead of siding with the country on the most vital security issue, Bhutto was ''passionately involved in the game of political point-scoring in her lust for power.''
In an interview, Bhutto demanded an investigation into the matter and said that General Musharraf, through his ''reckless policies,'' had endangered Pakistan's nuclear assets. Asked whether there should be further investigation into Abdul Qadeer Khan's activities, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader said ''yes, definitely.''
She said General Musharraf would like the world to believe that Khan was responsible for the export of nuclear technology but nobody in Pakistan believed that. ''Khan could never have done that on his own and there certainly are other people involved,'' she claimed.
Demanding to know whether there was a change of policy in Pakistan regarding nuclear technology, Bhutto said when she was prime minister she knew about the nuclear export technology policy.
Bureau Report
However, Islamabad rejected Bhutto's observations saying these reflected the ''thoughts and aspirations of an enemy rather than a friend of Pakistan.'' Pakistan information minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmed said the whole world was convinced that neither the Pakistani government nor the army was involved in nuclear proliferation but she was insisting on the allegation.
He regretted that instead of siding with the country on the most vital security issue, Bhutto was ''passionately involved in the game of political point-scoring in her lust for power.''
In an interview, Bhutto demanded an investigation into the matter and said that General Musharraf, through his ''reckless policies,'' had endangered Pakistan's nuclear assets. Asked whether there should be further investigation into Abdul Qadeer Khan's activities, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader said ''yes, definitely.''
She said General Musharraf would like the world to believe that Khan was responsible for the export of nuclear technology but nobody in Pakistan believed that. ''Khan could never have done that on his own and there certainly are other people involved,'' she claimed.
Demanding to know whether there was a change of policy in Pakistan regarding nuclear technology, Bhutto said when she was prime minister she knew about the nuclear export technology policy.
Bureau Report