On February 4, 2004, Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, founder and head of Pakistan's nuclear arms program, confessed to his nation in a televised speech that he had shared nuclear technology with Libya, North Korea and Iran. A day later, General Pervez Musharraf pardoned him, saying that as the father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb, Dr. Khan remained a national hero. The international pages of The New York Times provide ongoing coverage, from reporters David Rohde and Amy Waldman, of Pakistan's recently unveiled international nuclear proliferation.

"Inquiry Suggests Pakistanis Sold Nuclear Secrets"
After denying evidence that nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan sold weapons technology to other nations, Pakistani officials began investigating Khan's associates, as reported by William J. Broad, David Rohde and David E. Sanger. The article showed that American and European investigators, along with the international nuclear inspectors, had pressured President Pervez Musharraf's government to confront Dr. Khan, who was considered a national hero and had close ties to military and intelligence agencies. The decision to investigate Khan placed General Musharraf in a precarious position, coming just one week after he narrowly escaped an assassination attempt.
(New York Times, December 22, 2003)

"Delicate Dance for Musharraf in Nuclear Case"
This article by David Rohde and Talat Hussein concisely summarizes the extraordinary chain of events culminating in the admission on national television by Pakistan's top nuclear scientist, the much-revered Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, that he sold nuclear weapons secrets. After the apology, which opposition party members and Khan supporters say was coerced, Pakistani president General Pervez Musharraf also appeared on national television, granting Khan a full pardon. The authors of this article mention the delicate "balancing act" by not only Musharraf but also the Bush administration in handling the case.
(New York Times, February 8, 2004)

"A Tale of Nuclear Proliferation: How Pakistani Built His Network"
Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, the father of Pakistan's atomic bomb, recently admitted to selling nuclear weapons secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya. This article explores the subterranean network of nuclear arms trafficking, from Dubai to Pakistan, Malaysia to the Netherlands, and shows how Dr. Khan and his operatives skirted International Atomic Energy Agency rules and nonproliferation oversight.
(New York Times, February 12, 2004)

These articles were originally published in The New York Times. Copyright (c) 2003 The New York Times. For more New York Times articles please visit www.nytimes.com.

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