The 28 May tests

In my last two columns I reproduced a letter written by Ghulam Ishaq Khan, who was in charge of our nuclear programme for almost 17 years. He was an honest, efficient patriot who enforced strict monetary discipline and efficiency. On March 27, 2001, Gen Musharraf hosted a dinner at the Presidency in honour of Dr Ishfaq Ahmad (PAEC) and me. Given below are extracts from that speech.

“As we gather tonight to honour our most senior and eminent scientists, our national heroes, my thoughts go back to the eventful day in May 1974 when India conducted its first nuclear test and, in the process, altered the security landscape of South Asia to Pakistan’s critical disadvantage. Coming so soon after the 1971 dismemberment of our country, the event served to deepen our sense of insecurity and vulnerability.

“To our conventional asymmetry was added yet another dimension of imbalance, and Pakistan was left to fend for itself. The international community, to no one’s surprise, went through the motions of ritual censoring and posturing, but at the end of the day, it was Pakistan which was left totally exposed to Indian nuclear blackmail and threats.

“The situation was critical. Our security paradigm had changed and, with no nuclear weapons programme worth the name, Pakistanis literally looked to the sky for help. We did not lose faith. And sure enough. Allah Almighty answered the nation’s prayers, had mercy on our situation and made a miracle happen.

“In walked a giant of a man, none other than Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, the man who would give Pakistan a nuclear capability single-handedly. His arrival in those difficult days gave hope and cautious optimism to a doubting nation that was used more to scams and empty promises than to performance and delivery.

“Lades and Gentlemen! Subsequent years and events and Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan’s achievements are now well-recorded and form a glorious chapter of Pakistan’s history.

“Dr Khan and his team toiled and sweated, day and night, against all odds and obstacles, against international sanctions and sting operations, to create, literally out of nothing, with their bare hands, the pride of Pakistan’s nuclear capability, the Kahuta Research Laboratories, later renamed most appropriately, the Khan Research Laboratories. Within a few years, he and his brave men gave Pakistan its first-ever fissile material in the form of Highly Enriched Uranium and thereby levelled the scores with India.

“His is a rare success story, in that he set out to achieve an objective for his country and, within his lifetime, has been able to see its fulfilment and received unprecedented accolades, admiration and everlasting gratitude from his countrymen. Never before, in my judgement, has any nation owed so much to one single man’s achievements. Dr A Q Khan’s Nishan-e-Imtiaz and Bar, the only Pakistani to have been bestowed the honour, is the acknowledgment of a grateful nation and is thoroughly well-deserved.

“Let me put on record formally, this nation is grateful to you for what you have done for us, today and for all times to come. You are our national hero and an inspiration to our future generations. Nobody can ever take that away from you and your place in history is assured. You will always be at the very top. We salute you and thank you from the depths of our hearts.

“As I say quite often, in a general sea of disappointments, the development of Pakistan’s nuclear capability is a unique national success story. It is a story of selfless devotion, unbridled dedication, scientific brilliance, technological mastery and, above all, supreme patriotism and religious fervour of thousands of silent workers.

“These men of science, these mujahids, have put Pakistan in the exclusive nuclear club. They have made Islamic nations proud. They represent the best qualities of Pakistanis and have shown that, when we want to, we can move mountains and indeed change their colour! Such is the strength of their faith and sense of duty.”

The above speech, made in the presence of senior civil and defence officers, was neither written nor dictated by me, nor did I see it before it was delivered. It was written by those who were fully familiar with the facts and what my contribution was.

After Gen Musharraf finished his address, there followed a long round of applause. However, I had already experienced his true colours and knew full well what he was like. Air Chief Marshall Mushaf Ali Mir, a very competent officer and a thorough gentleman, knew this too. He was sitting next to me, pressed my hand and said: “Dr Khan, don’t give him the pleasure of a response.” I told him that I had no intention of doing so and even though Musharraf looked at me expectantly a few times, I did not react. Not long after I was branded as the worst enemy of the West and Pakistan. Muslim history had once again repeated itself.

A few months after our nuclear tests, Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, the Saudi defence minister, and his son, Gen Khalid bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, visited Pakistan. They were greatly appreciative of our achievement and personally congratulated the then prime minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. The PM, COAS Gen Musharraf, CAS Air Chief Marshal Pervez Mehdi and CNS Admiral Fasih Bokhari accompanied the guests to Kahuta and spent many hours there visiting the facilities and seeing for themselves the weapons and missiles.

If these weapons had been made by someone else at some other location, as some have claimed, why would the PM have brought these royal guests to Kahuta and instructed the services chiefs to be present? That is the million dollar question for readers to ponder!

Concluded

Email: dr.a.quadeer.khan@gmail.com