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CNN Live At Daybreak
Pardon for Pakistan's Top Nuclear Scientist
Aired February 10, 2004 - 06:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: In Pakistan, President Pervez Musharraf was curious. For three years, he suspected Pakistan's top nuclear scientist of passing technology to Iran, Libya and North Korea -- that's according to today's "New York Times."
Abdul Qadeer Khan has been pardoned for that, but the issue has not been easy to resolve.
Live to Islamabad now and Mike Chinoy.
Hello -- Mike.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE CHINOY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Pervez Musharraf is walking a dangerous tightrope, a general who seized control of the government in a coup, trying to stay in power while leading Pakistan in a radical new direction: siding with the U.S. in the war on terror, curbing Islamic militants in Kashmir, seeking peace with long- time rival India, and now sidelining the father of Pakistan's atomic bomb, Abdul Qadeer Khan, who's viewed as a national hero.
LT. GEN. TALAT MASOOD, PAKISTANI ARMY (RET.): (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and very bold steps. There is a strong element of risk in it all the time, because there are so many people who are opposed to his policies at the moment.
CHINOY: Musharraf was already a target even before the controversy over Khan's smuggling of nuclear know-how to Iran, Libya and North Korea. Islamic radicals, believe linked to al Qaeda, tried twice in December to kill him and nearly succeeded.
Now, although the reaction on the streets to Khan's disgrace has been muted, Musharraf is struggling to maintain the support of his key constituency, the armed forces, where support for Khan is strong. Many observers say at least some senior officers must have known of Khan's illicit nuclear transfers.
A.Y. NAYYAR, PHYSICIST: It defies a simple, you know, logic. It defies simple logic of how on earth such things could be done and such huge transfers could be given without the knowledge of those security persons (UNINTELLIGIBLE) officials who were actually supposed to report all that was happening over here to the chief of staff.
CHINOY: Hence, the deal Musharraf worked out with Khan. The scientist confessing to leaking nuclear secrets, insisting the military wasn't involved, and in return being granted a pardon.
GARY SAMORE, INSTITUTE OF STRATEGIC STUDIES: From President Musharraf's standpoint, it's politically dangerous to investigate too far into the question of who knew what when?
AYESHA SIDDIQA, DEFENSE ANALYST: The greatest motivation is his own survival and that of his organization.
CHINOY: That's meant keeping the lid on the Khan case, even though many questions remain unanswered.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Defense here is that Musharraf has managed to extricate himself from a dangerous situation, that the worldwide investigation into Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan's activities is continuing, and the prospects of more revelations is still there -- revelations that President Musharraf doesn't need or want -- Carol.
COSTELLO: OK, Mike, I'm going to ask you this question, because it's so difficult to understand. You say the military supports Dr. Khan. If the military knows that he sold nuclear secrets to other countries, why wouldnt that make the military upset?
CHINOY: Well, the thing that is critical here is that Abdul Qadeer Khan was central to getting Pakistan a nuclear bomb. That is Pakistan's defense against its arch rival, India. It's been immensely important from a military and a psychological point of view, and, of course, the armed forces as the defenders of the country have a great deal invested in that.
Its not at all clear who, if anyone, at the highest levels in the military did know about this. That's one of the questions investigators are looking at.
But Khan is a very, very popular figure. And so, for Musharraf, the problem of cracking down on a national hero, who is also an arch proliferator, has been an acute dilemma. And it's this political tightrope that he's struggling to stay upright on -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Mike Chinoy live from Islamabad this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired February 10, 2004 - 06:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: In Pakistan, President Pervez Musharraf was curious. For three years, he suspected Pakistan's top nuclear scientist of passing technology to Iran, Libya and North Korea -- that's according to today's "New York Times."
Abdul Qadeer Khan has been pardoned for that, but the issue has not been easy to resolve.
Live to Islamabad now and Mike Chinoy.
Hello -- Mike.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE CHINOY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Pervez Musharraf is walking a dangerous tightrope, a general who seized control of the government in a coup, trying to stay in power while leading Pakistan in a radical new direction: siding with the U.S. in the war on terror, curbing Islamic militants in Kashmir, seeking peace with long- time rival India, and now sidelining the father of Pakistan's atomic bomb, Abdul Qadeer Khan, who's viewed as a national hero.
LT. GEN. TALAT MASOOD, PAKISTANI ARMY (RET.): (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and very bold steps. There is a strong element of risk in it all the time, because there are so many people who are opposed to his policies at the moment.
CHINOY: Musharraf was already a target even before the controversy over Khan's smuggling of nuclear know-how to Iran, Libya and North Korea. Islamic radicals, believe linked to al Qaeda, tried twice in December to kill him and nearly succeeded.
Now, although the reaction on the streets to Khan's disgrace has been muted, Musharraf is struggling to maintain the support of his key constituency, the armed forces, where support for Khan is strong. Many observers say at least some senior officers must have known of Khan's illicit nuclear transfers.
A.Y. NAYYAR, PHYSICIST: It defies a simple, you know, logic. It defies simple logic of how on earth such things could be done and such huge transfers could be given without the knowledge of those security persons (UNINTELLIGIBLE) officials who were actually supposed to report all that was happening over here to the chief of staff.
CHINOY: Hence, the deal Musharraf worked out with Khan. The scientist confessing to leaking nuclear secrets, insisting the military wasn't involved, and in return being granted a pardon.
GARY SAMORE, INSTITUTE OF STRATEGIC STUDIES: From President Musharraf's standpoint, it's politically dangerous to investigate too far into the question of who knew what when?
AYESHA SIDDIQA, DEFENSE ANALYST: The greatest motivation is his own survival and that of his organization.
CHINOY: That's meant keeping the lid on the Khan case, even though many questions remain unanswered.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Defense here is that Musharraf has managed to extricate himself from a dangerous situation, that the worldwide investigation into Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan's activities is continuing, and the prospects of more revelations is still there -- revelations that President Musharraf doesn't need or want -- Carol.
COSTELLO: OK, Mike, I'm going to ask you this question, because it's so difficult to understand. You say the military supports Dr. Khan. If the military knows that he sold nuclear secrets to other countries, why wouldnt that make the military upset?
CHINOY: Well, the thing that is critical here is that Abdul Qadeer Khan was central to getting Pakistan a nuclear bomb. That is Pakistan's defense against its arch rival, India. It's been immensely important from a military and a psychological point of view, and, of course, the armed forces as the defenders of the country have a great deal invested in that.
Its not at all clear who, if anyone, at the highest levels in the military did know about this. That's one of the questions investigators are looking at.
But Khan is a very, very popular figure. And so, for Musharraf, the problem of cracking down on a national hero, who is also an arch proliferator, has been an acute dilemma. And it's this political tightrope that he's struggling to stay upright on -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Mike Chinoy live from Islamabad this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
