"I have told everything to the President who has listen to me with a kind heart," Khan said (AFP)

Asif Farooqi, IOL Correspondent

ISLAMABAD, February 4 (IslamOnline.net) – Heated controversy over nuclear transfers to foreign countries by Pakistani scientists moved to a conclusion Wednesday, February 4, when the father of the country’s nuclear program accepted responsibility for the leaks and sought clemency from the president and fellow countrymen.

Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, highly esteemed as a national hero for his contributions to Pakistan’s nuclear program, was shown on state-run television following a call on President General Pervez Musharraf.

This was Dr. Khan’s first public appearance since he was found to be at the center of controversy regarding leakage of nuclear secrets and materials to Iran, Libya and North Korea.

A dejected Khan told the Pakistani nation on a televised address that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) accusations about nuclear proliferation by Pakistani scientists on my behest were true.

"The investigation has established that many of the reported activities did occur and that these were inevitably initiated at my behest," Khan said referring to probes by Pakistani agencies following disclosures and evidence provided by some countries to IAEA regarding proliferation activities over the last two decades.

Dr. Khan, who has been recently sacked from his post as special adviser on strategic affairs, said: "I have voluntary admitted that much of this is true and accurate."

He offered his deepest regrets and apologies to the nation for what he said were traumatizing events of the last two months which saw allegations against Pakistan for proliferating with serious consequences.

Khan said he realized the national security could have been faced with serious jeopardy "on account of my activities which were based in good faith but errors of judgment related to unauthorized proliferation activities".

Sole Responsibility

"It was disgraceful to bring the pioneer of Pakistan’s nuclear program before the televisions like a criminal," one official said

Commenting on detained nuclear scientists who are facing similar charges, Dr. Khan said they were his subordinates who acted in good faith on his instructions.

He also exonerated any Pakistani government of involvement in this proliferation activity, asserting it was done solely by him, without taking the governments into confidence.

"I also wish to clarify that there was never ever any kind of authorization for these activities by the government".

"I take full responsibilities for my actions and seek your pardon", the prominent scientist concluded.

Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported a day earlier that Khan had accused former army chiefs Aslam Beg and Jehangir Karamat of "indirectly instructing" him to proliferate.

"He named two gentlemen, (retired) generals Beg and Karamat, who were then questioned," AFP quoted as saying a senior military official, saying he requesting anonymity.

Clemency

A statement issued by the President House said Dr. Khan had filed a clemency appeal with the president after taking full responsibilities of all wrongdoings during his tenure as Chairman of Khan Research Laboratories (KRL).

"During the meeting, Dr A.Q. Khan reconfirmed to the president the details of the proliferation activities that he had committed in the past," the official statement read.

Dr. Khan spoke of his meeting with Musharraf on PTV and said he had briefed the president on what had happened while he was in charge of Pakistan’s nuclear program.

"I have told everything to the President who has listen to me with a kind heart," he said, adding Musharraf has assured him that a decision to end this controversy would be taken shortly after consultations within the government.

Pardon Likely

Musharraf has called an urgent meeting of the National Command Authority (NCA), the country’s supreme national body on decision making with regards to national security, defense and nuclear issues, to discuss Khan’s clemency appeal.

Senior analysts familiar with nuclear issues believe the NCA is most likely to approve a pardon for Khan, amid fears that bringing the pioneer of Pakistan’s nuclear and missile program into litigation would open a Pandora’s box.

"President Musharraf and other military bosses can not afford to bring this matter into court where the defense would be handled by the lawyers who would be at liberty to say whatever they want to against anyone," Sohail A. Nasir, a defense analyst writing for The Atomic Science Bulletin, told IslamOnline.

He said if the matter is discussed openly questions would raise about the competency of the military intelligence which is responsible for security of nuclear program.

Nasir said if Dr. Khan and his associates are not pardoned, they would do everything they could to safeguard their own interests.

President of the ruling party, Pakistan Muslim League, confirmed that Dr. Khan would be given clemency.

Chauhdary Shujaat Hussein who met with Khan before the latter’s meeting with Musharraf said he was hopeful the issue would be closed shortly.

"It is obvious that Dr. Khan would get pardon once he makes confessions because it is in the interest of the country to close this issue as quickly as possible."

Shujaat said Dr. Khan has made confession in the best national interest and everyone should recognize that.

Humiliating

However, many Pakistanis believe Musharraf was causing humiliation and insult to a national hero.

"It was disgraceful to bring the pioneer of Pakistan’s nuclear program before the televisions like a criminal," said Qazi Hussein Ahmed, President of Muttaheda Majlis Amal (MMA), an alliance of religious parties which recently validated Musharraf’s presidency.

Qazi told IslamOnline.net that this was an insult to a national hero and Musharraf was trying to cover-up the issue.

"Dr. Khan is under severe pressure and he is making all these statements only because of pressure," he argued.

The ongoing tussle between the government and the scientists had put the national security on stake with many international organizations and countries pressing Pakistan to probe proliferation charges.

Following initial reports from the IAEA in December last year, the government launched thorough investigations into the allegations and found out that Dr. Khan and at least four other scientists were involved in selling nuclear secrets to some of the aspiring nuclear powers.

Dr. Khan and twelve scientists, engineers and military officials associated with the security apparatus of the Khan Research Laboratories -- the nuclear installation at the heart of nuclear weapons program – were unceremoniously called into debriefing  sessions last month by security agencies probing the IAEA charges.