Part - II
Random thoughts
Here follows the remainder of Ghulam Ishaq Khan’s letter to Zahid Malik: “Some foreign countries, with a resolute agenda for establishing a non-proliferation regime globally, took serious note of this development and their leader decided to penalise the country for its ‘sin’ of acquiring nuclear explosive technology in audacious defiance of their avowed strategic policy objectives.
Accordingly, in 1990, economic sanctions were imposed on Pakistan and the military aid and financial assistance (some even already committed) on which our economy had been made systematically dependent ...was totally suspended.
“The ‘possession of a nuclear explosive device’, the gravemen of the charge against us, was however never acknowledged at any responsible official level at home, and as a matter of state policy a cloud of ambiguity was deliberately built around it. Human nature harbours in itself a natural urge for its achievement to be recognised, and since this recognition, because of the official policy stance, was frustratingly slow in coming, it was naturally causing some discouragement to those who had for years...worked on the development of the device and were now looking for no other reward except public recognition.
“At the same time, the policy for lack of ‘solid proof’ was creating doubts and suspicions in the minds of those who even otherwise were not well disposed towards the nuclear programme under the patronage of Dr A Q Khan. These groups had persuaded themselves to believe that it was all a ‘hoax’ and ‘publicity stunt’ and such a device was never developed and did not exist, even though they knew from experience that Dr A Q Khan had seldom made a promise which he could not deliver... The cloud finally lifted on May 28, 1998, when not one, but several devices were successfully tested at Chaghi Hills in Balochistan, putting the ‘Doubting Thomases’ to shame.
“The validity and authenticity of these tests was internationally acknowledged, and once this happened there burst forth a virtual avalanche of recognitions of the feat; of conferment of honours and awards, of medals and prizes, both official and non official... naming and foundation laying ceremonies of technical institutions after Dr A Q Khan, etc. The result is that Dr A Q Khan stands today as the most decorated citizen of the country and his is the best and most widely known name internationally, particularly in the scientific community.
“Unfortunately the tests also gave rise to a futile and totally unbecoming controversy regarding apportionment of credit for the acquisition of ‘bomb technology’ – between PAEC (Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission) and KRL...
“For almost a decade before the controversy arose, foreign experts, nuclear analysts, and those specialising in Pakistan affairs knew, and were unquestionably acknowledging, who the real architect of Pakistan’s nuclear technology was …. who designed and initiated a programme for the indigenous fabrication of the various highly sophisticated devices and gadgets for enriching uranium to weapon grade and whose single-minded pursuit and unremitting efforts surmounted all blocks and hurdles, both internal and external, culminated in the May 28th detonations. It was none other than Dr A Q Khan and his team at KRL!
“A project of this magnitude and complexity could admittedly not be the job of a single individual or organisation; others must have contributed to it …. This does not mean, however, that when mention is made of the victory at Al-Amin in the 2nd World War, instead of attributing full and outright credit to Field Marshal Montgomery for his astute strategic guidance of the war, an attempt must be made to apportion it among all those who acted as field commanders, battalion leaders …. enabling the Field Marshal to ...victory. It is a pity that this point is not generally understood and appreciated.
“Dr A Q Khan is an active participant in life and a man of many ‘virtues’. Amenable to advice but standing firm on basic principles, he is endowed with an uncommon degree of dynamism and drive; is intolerant of indecision and procrastination and does not hesitate to accept a challenge, no matter how daunting the task is. However, defence research and production is not his only forte. Together with an abiding interest in the spread of education, with emphasis on science and technology, he has diverse other interests, ranging from love of Urdu poetry to human resource development and welfare…
“He is also on the board of governors of the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (GIKI), the first institution set up by society for the realisation of its aim and objects and as its project director, Dr A Q Khan has made invaluable contributions to its development into a centre of excellence and to making it, as adjudged by neutral observers, the top-most institution among Pakistan’s institutions of science and technology and one of the distinguished technical seats of learning (university) in Asia….
“I have said on some previous occasion that the measure of goodness and greatness that a person achieves in life depends on the causes and the nobility and innate truth of these causes that he espouses in life. By this definition Dr A Q Khan is truly a ‘good’ and ‘great’ person as there cannot be a more noble cause than working for the development of one’s own country and the welfare of its people. What he has achieved in life so far and the deeds that he has accomplished speak for themselves and they speak louder today than the words in which they can be described affirming the truth of the aphorism that: “Mushk aanst ke khud beboyad/Na ke attar begoyad. Yours sincerely, Ghulam Ishaq Khan”
For those who are not willing to accept the truth, Almighty Allah has said in Surah Baqar (2:18), Surah Araf (7:179) and Surah Anfal (8:22) “They are deaf, dumb and blind, they will not see the right course. Deaf, dumb and blind they are and they cannot understand, see or hear.”
I sincerely hope that after the above letter many of the lies will be permanently laid to rest.
Concluded
Email: dr.a.quadeer.khangmail.com