Pakistani lawmaker seeks probe into Musharraf-era nuclear proliferation

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani lawmaker has called for "thorough investigations" into the country's nuclear proliferation to Iran and North Korea during former military ruler Pervez Musharraf's regime.

Pakistan Peoples Party senator Farhatullah Babar said yesterday that the father of Pakistan's nuclear programme A Q Khan had been singled out for nuclear proliferation and demanded that the "entire network" be exposed.

Seeking "thorough investigations" into nuclear proliferation, Babar said 73-year-old Musharraf, in his book 'In the Line of Fire', concedes that several tonnes of nuclear material and drawings had been smuggled from Pakistan to Iran, Libya and North Korea.

But only 81-year-old Khan was singled out for nuclear proliferation, he was quoted as saying by Dawn News.

Babar argued that it was impossible for any single individual to smuggle out huge centrifuge machines and other nuclear material without connivance and assistance of other players.

He called for an inquiry into the matter and bringing to book all those involved in the scam. He said that the "entire network" should be exposed and insisted that it must include big names, the report said.

Babar's demand came after Hafiz Hamdullah of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl asked during a Senate session why Khan's name had not even been mentioned during Yaum-i-Takbeer celebrations on May 28.

Hamdullah said that Khan was a national hero but had been degraded and insulted by Musharraf.

Musharraf ruled Pakistan till 2008 after toppling the government of Nawaz Sharif in 1999 to come to power.