Pakistani government has increased the security of A Q Khan; the father of country’s nuclear program, amid fears of a possible Osama-like US raid to nab or possibly kill him. The Obama administration accuses Dr. Khan of proliferation of nuclear weapon technologies. Dr. Khan’s security has been upgraded almost equal to that of Pakistan’s Premier Mr. Sharif. There are two important points to highlight. First of all, Pakistan is not a signatory to nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) and therefore, following the treaty in letter and spirit is not binding on Pakistan. Only thing is that Pakistan seeks legitimacy from the US for its nuclear arsenal. Because of its proliferation record, Pakistan possibly looses any chance to sign a civilian nuclear agreement with the US while keeping its arsenal. Second thing is that the US is not the sole policemen of the world as far as punishing the violators of NPT is concerned. It is a collective responsibility of all the N5 and the rest of the Western world. Sure, Pakistan has aided to the states operating against the US interests worldwide and there can be no doubt that Dr. Khan should have proliferated sensitive technologies to states whose programs did not have global approval. But what is more important is like all powers outside the N5, Pakistani nuclear program is not fully indigenous and it got substantive help from China, which the US ignored for tactical reason at the time. As far the US punishing Dr. Khan is concerned it cannot and should not be high on priority of the US list. First of all, whatever mistake Dr. Khan did he did as an authority, part of an establishment, and not as an individual. The whole Pakistani defense establishment should be considered responsible for whatever Dr. Khan did. Right now, the US requires Pakistan in its supposed dealings with Taliban and it also needs support of Pakistan in establishing peace and order in post-drawdown Afghanistan. Now international laws are based on certain ethics and morality. If the US cannot punish Dr. Khan immediately because of self-interest, it looses right to do so in ‘distant’ future. If the US wants to play a bigger game of telling all past, present and potential offenders, then it is altogether a different thing but even then it should try to arrest Dr. Khan through legal ways and not kill him in a raid. There may be good reasons for American apprehensions about Dr. Khan. Pakistan needs to be concerned too. But the US by no action of its choice should increase the cost of running Pakistani state; in fact it should strive towards opposite. Let Pakistan invest its resources in nation-building.
Posted on: Fri, 20 Sep 2013 09:08:31 +0000