Dr.AQ KHAN

Dr AQ Khan says many scientists betrayed Bhutto

(NNI)

16 June 2008

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s top nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan has said that many scientists promised Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to make nuclear bomb in few years but betrayed him.

He said late Bhutto was the only person who made the nuclear programme possible.

“Bhutto asked me can we become a nuclear power and I had replied him, Insha Allah we will”, Dr Khan said in an interview with a private TV channel.

He alleged that the western countries have been defaming him since long and had been accusing him of stealing nuclear secrets. However, Dr AQ Khan said he visited many western countries, including Netherlands, but no action was taken against him.

To a question he said that General Zia had never instigated him against Bhutto, however, Zia always condemned Bhutto.

“I asked Zia not to hang Bhutto. Zia never rolled back our nuclear programme”, he said.

Dr Khan believed that the United Stated had ignored Pakistan’s nuclear programme due to Afghan war. —