Top nuke scientist pleads for clemency
Pakistan’s top nuclear scientist has apologised on national television for leaking atomic secrets.
Abdul Qadeer Khan – who led KRL, the country’s main nuclear research body until 2001 – admitted to passing on secret information to “rogue states” such as Libya, North Korea and Iran.
Mr Kahn pleaded for clemency from President Pervez Musharraf.
The Pakistani government said in a statement: “Dr A Q Khan submitted before the President that he accepts full responsibility for all the proliferation activities, which were conducted by him during the period in which he was at the helm of affairs of Khan Research Laboratories,
“Dr Khan has submitted his mercy petition to the president and requested for clemency, in view of his services to national security.”
The National Command Authority, a body of senior military and civilian officials who oversee Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, met last night to deliberate on whether to prosecute Mr Khan and six of his staff accused of carrying out “proliferation activities.”
General Musharraf is expected to announce the government’s decision on Thursday.
