The whole world has been concerned with Pakistan a predominantly Muslim country having proved their nuclear strength. With a well developed nuclear weapons program along with capable delivery systems, the world has a right to be concerned. Pakistan has a long history of political instability and religious extremism. Pakistan was the country that brought Taliban to power is Afghanistan and was the first government to officially accept Taliban as the government of Afghanistan. In its short history the country has had several coups and military governments. A country with such a history having nuclear weapons is asking for a disaster.

The Government has always claimed that they are responsible and that Pakistan’s nuclear assets are safe and can not fall in the hands of extremists or rouge forces. But experience tells us otherwise, in 2003 under intense pressure Iran stated that it had received nuclear expertise and secrets from Pakistan’s Dr A.Q. Khan, upon further investigation it was proved that a network of Pakistani scientists and international businessmen were involved in selling nuclear secrets and parts to the governments of Iran, Libya and North Korea. The head of Pakistan’s nuclear program confessed on National TV that he had sold the secrets and was pardoned by President Musharraf and put under house arrest “for his own safety”. Pakistan’s government denied any involvement in the incident and claimed it was solely done by Dr. A.Q. Khan and his network. International access to the scientist was denied on the grounds of him being a National Hero. Pakistan assured the international community that it had put measures into place to safeguard its nuclear assets and the chapter was closed.

What concerns me and should definitely concern everyone is the fact that upon a little relaxation on Dr. A.Q. Khan’s freedom, he has come out shouting foul play to where ever he gets a voice. In recent interviews he has shifted his stance completely and claimed that he was made a scapegoat by General Musharraf and the government of Pakistan. He claims that he was made to confess to selling nuclear secrets on his own, while in fact Pervaiz Musharraf and the military was fully involved in the process. He has recently come out saying that in fact the centrifuges sold to North Korea were shipped on a North Korean Plane under complete supervision of Pakistan’s security personnel.

I for one would believe him, I’m not saying he’s innocent, he was involved in nuclear trafficking but he was not alone. Pakistan’s government was fully involved; Musharraf was fully involved, I do not believe that with such a strong intelligence setup that the Pakistan army has one would be able to ship nuclear designs and blue prints, let alone nuclear hardware without the army’s knowledge. In a country where a casual affair of a general or the presence of a bottle of Scotland’s finest at another general’s gathering raises red flags, I’m sure the transfer of nuclear technology would have caused all sorts of alarms and flags at the ISI’s headquarters, had they not been directly involved with the transfers. I my friends am afraid of what else can happen to Pakistan’s nuclear technology with such a hollow and untrustworthy government at the helm of affairs, how about you?