PAKISTAN TRYING TO SMOTHER UP NUCLEAR SCANDAL

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ISLAMABAD, July 25 (RIA Novosti) - Three of the four Pakistani nuclear R&D center researchers and heads were released until further notice yesterday, the Dawn and News dailies say in today's issues. Both papers refer to Major-General Shawkat Sultan, chief of the military press service. The men were involved in top-secret technologies sold to Iran, North Korea and Libya.

The released suspects have been under investigation for longer than seven months now. They were on top of the Kahoota Research Laboratories, or KRL-nuclear missile research-cum-production center located close to Islamabad. Brigade General Sajwal Khan led its construction board. Dr. Nazir Ahmed used to be KRL Director General. Major Ismael-ul-hak was private secretary to Dr. Abdul Kader Khan, KRL founding chief, popularly known as Father of the Pakistani Bomb.

Dr. Mohammad Farouq, another suspect, stays in custody.

Dr. Abdul Kader Khan made a sensational confession to President Pervez Musharraf, late last January, telling about nuclear technologies sold to the three rogue countries, and bravely shouldered the entire responsibility. The other culprits had been acting on his orders, he said. The President pardoned the scientist who had done so much for his country. Dr. Khan, however, remains "under police protection"-under arrest, in fact, and sees his relations only on rare occasions.

The investigation is going on, and the bailed can be summoned for questioning any day, says General Sultan.

The controversy has badly dampened Pakistan's public image in the world. The national top is using the slightest occasion to repeat reassurances that it has done everything in its power to rule out more nuclear secrets leaking into rogue countries or-to use the Bush Administration's latest wording-axis of evil countries.

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