Pakistan says A Q Khan episode closed, no knowledge of compact weapon design

WASHINGTON : Pakistan Thursday said the A.Q. Khan episode is closed and the country has no knowledge of the design of a compact nuclear weapon, reportedly found in some computers in Switzerland. A Pakistani spokesman in Washington also ruled out direct access to Dr Khan.
“Pakistan carried out a thorough debriefing of all involved and shared details with the International Atomic Energy Agency and friends such as the United States.
“The network, as much as it was in Pakistan’s jurisdiction, was shut down. The international community, including the United States, has taken steps to shut down other parts of that illegal nuclear proliferation network,” Press Attache, Nadeem Kiani wrote in The USA Today.
Spelling out Pakistan’s views in an opinion piece “The Episode is Closed” written in response to an editorial appearing in the newspaper, Kiani stated that Dr. Khan is under house arrest and is suffering from cancer. He has been allowed greater access to the phone and is now allowed to meet with some relatives and close friends.
“Even so, he remains under constant guard. There is no letting up of vigilance.”
Pakistan, he reminded, has implemented a series of measures, many in consultation with countries such as the United States, to ensure airtight proliferation controls. “Pakistan continues to share any information with its friends and remains vigilant against proliferators.
“Direct access to Dr. Khan is not possible because he still knows important details of Pakistan’s strategic deterrent. Being privy to this information is the right of Pakistan ‘s defenders and leaders only.”
“Pakistan has no knowledge of the design of a compact nuclear weapon, reportedly found in some computers in Switzerland. Dr. Khan has also expressed ignorance of these.
“As far as
Pakistan is concerned, the A.Q. Khan episode is closed. There will be no repeat of it,” he concluded.