PAKISTAN: U.S. TO RE-OPEN CASE ON DISGRACED NUCLEAR SCIENTIST
Islamabad, 22 May (AKI/DAWN) - A subcommittee of the US Congress will hold a hearing on Pakistan's disgraced nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan this week to examine the question of his so-called nuclear black market network. Diplomatic sources said the House of Representatives Committee on International Relations would hold an open hearing of its subcommittee on international terrorism and non-proliferation on Thursday.
The 15-member subcommittee is headed by Edward R. Royce. The two witnesses at the hearing will be David Albright, president and founder of the Institute for Science and International Security in Washington, and Dr Leonard Weiss, an independent consultant on nuclear issues.
The subject of the hearing is: “The A.Q. Khan network: case closed?”
On May 2, Pakistan's foreign office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam at the weekly news briefing declared: “As far as we are concerned this chapter is closed.”
Khan, considered the father of Pakistan's atomic bomb, admitted in February 2004 that he had trafficked nuclear secrets and parts to other countries, including Iran, Libya and North Korea. He was pardoned by Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf on the condition that he would cooperate with the authorities.
The Pakistani government confirmed last year that Khan had supplied nuclear parts to Iran. However the nuclear scientist has not been allowed any visitors and international investigators into global nuclear proliferation have not been allowed to question him
He remains under house arrest in Islamabad under military surveillance.
Last week, Pakistan's military Spokesman Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan said security around Khan had been beefed up due to concerns about his safety.
The 15-member subcommittee is headed by Edward R. Royce. The two witnesses at the hearing will be David Albright, president and founder of the Institute for Science and International Security in Washington, and Dr Leonard Weiss, an independent consultant on nuclear issues.
The subject of the hearing is: “The A.Q. Khan network: case closed?”
On May 2, Pakistan's foreign office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam at the weekly news briefing declared: “As far as we are concerned this chapter is closed.”
Khan, considered the father of Pakistan's atomic bomb, admitted in February 2004 that he had trafficked nuclear secrets and parts to other countries, including Iran, Libya and North Korea. He was pardoned by Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf on the condition that he would cooperate with the authorities.
The Pakistani government confirmed last year that Khan had supplied nuclear parts to Iran. However the nuclear scientist has not been allowed any visitors and international investigators into global nuclear proliferation have not been allowed to question him
He remains under house arrest in Islamabad under military surveillance.
Last week, Pakistan's military Spokesman Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan said security around Khan had been beefed up due to concerns about his safety.
posted by Marko at 5/22/2006 10:07:00 AM
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