A Q Khan rubbishes Pak's so-called strategic closeness to US

Islamabad/London, Apr.9 (ANI): Disgraced nuclear scientist A Q Khan has in a series of letters to The Nation rubbished Pakistan's "strategic closeness" to the United States.

In the latest letter to the daily, Khan targeted Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and has also questioned the excessive use of drones in Pakistan's tribal badlands near the country's border with Afghanistan.

The letter, sent under the title "Hidden Truth" presents both astonishing and revealing facts, which the paper says merits a mention.

On Qureshi, Khan says: "Heard our Foreign Minister at innumerable occasions. Whenever I see him on television, I recall an old professor of Physics who was absent-minded."

"His statements on 'strategic dialogues' are more ridiculous. He (Qureshi) says that he cannot provide the details about those dialogues because some matters are kept secret in the interest of the country. Musharraf also left us without disclosing us anything on a number of issues in the interest of the country and those matters are still secret," Khan adds.

"Actually this is the matter of collaboration in the field of civilian nuclear technology. He not only wants to keep it secret from the Parliament, but also from the people as well," he opines.

"Our democracy and Parliament are the slaves of aliens and follow their orders. Every matter is concealed from the people and future governments also fail to disclose those rogueries because of their lacking in the competence and powers. In fact, neither America will provide civil nuclear technology to Pakistan nor will help in that field, nor will help in overcoming the power crisis nor will open its markets for us," Khan adds.

"Our beloved country is passing through a severe crisis and tumult. A few events are beyond the comprehension of the people and they have started believing that Allah Ta'ala (God) has really confiscated the wisdom and intelligence besides their eyesight and hearing power," he says.

In the letter, the nuclear scientist has also criticized the Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari for asking the United Nations to defer the release of Benazir murder case report for a period of two weeks, intsead of releasing the same on March 31, 2010.

"Last night people became dumbfounded when they heard the news. A statement by the President's spokesman, Farhat Ullah Babar was more ridiculous as he went on to say that the report had the reference of warning from one country only while two more countries had also warned on the matter," he says.

"I have already submitted that corrupt and convicted officers are getting respectful acquittal from the courts just after one or two hearings. Since the NAB is now under the control of (Law Minister) Babar Awan, hence, neither it is persuading the case nor filing appeal against their acquittal," he adds.

He further says that with "the start of dialogues on a so-called 'strategic partnership' with America, drones have started flying over Balochistan too."

"The intensity of the attacks of drones is more than that of the attacks carried out on the day when Obama took oath of his office (January 20, 2009)," he adds.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai's amazing disclosure that the drones do not fly from Afghanistan at all nor do they have the authority to carry out such operations there, he suggests exposes the Pakistan government's lies.

In conclusion, the letter paints a very grim scenario in Pakistan, on all fronts, according to the paper. (ANI)