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Pakistan rejects US demand to question Dr A Q Khan
US officials have expressed the desire to talk directly to Dr A Q Khan in the third round of the Pak-US Strategic Dialogue held here on Monday but Pakistan has rejected the demand.
A number of officials who participated in the dialogue said that the talks were held in a very pleasant atmosphere and both parties spoke candidly and openly. On the question of Dr A Q Khan the Pakistani point of view was very clear, that Dr Khan is a national hero, and a complete investigation has already been done but if the US wants to ask further questions it could be arranged only through Pakistanis. Another official said on condition of anonymity that Pakistanis asked the United States to release the funds for upgrading of F-16 fighter planes because under the current situation in Fata and along the Pak-Afghan border the importance of effective air power has increased manifold. The US officials gave a patient hearing to the Pakistani point of view and agreed with it in principle. However, they said that though certain members of US Congress are opposed to it at this stage, the US administration is committed to provide funding for F-16 up-gradation and efforts were on to get it approved from the Congress. At the outset of the meeting Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that it would be in the interest of both the nations not to talk about the past. "There might have been mistakes on both sides and even someone could have practised hypocrisy but it is over now. There is an elected government in Pakistan and no one should ask questions about the commitment of Pakistan's military and political leadership in the war against terror." Posted by: Fred 2008-10-01 |
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