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Mush was US stooge: AQ Khan
Top US lawmaker refuses to dine with PM
Krishna in Kabul for Karzai’s swearing-in
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Mush was US stooge: AQ Khan
Islamabad, November 18 He also confirmed a recent media report, which cited an account provided by him as saying that China provided Pakistan enough weapons-grade uranium for two atomic bombs and the blueprint for a simple nuclear weapon in 1982. "The nation must know that national secrets were handed over to Washington by the former President (Pervez Musharraf) who was an American stooge," Khan told The News. Khan said he is ready to record the facts in this regard in a court. He also confirmed a media columnist's observation that Musharraf was "hell bent" on handing him over to the US. Former Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali had confided to the scientist that he was under "severe pressure" to sign an exit order to hand him over to the US. However, Jamali refused to do so after taking his cabinet into confidence, Khan said and claimed that Musharraf had kept a C-130 military transport aircraft ready to take him to the US. Confirming that the Washington Times report on China providing uranium to Pakistan was true, Khan said it was based on a letter he had handed over to his daughter Dina Khan in 2004 as a precautionary measure. The letter was recovered from her baggage and "ultimately landed at Musharraf's table", Khan said. Musharraf referred to the letter in his book. On Musharraf's orders, "humiliating search operations" were carried out in Khan's home and all documents, personal diaries and family photos were confiscated, the atomic scientist claimed. Khan claimed "one-sided action" was taken against him during Musharraf’s regime and a "deliberate and well-calculated policy was implemented to brand him a culprit". He also claimed a "comprehensive strategy against him and Pakistan's atomic programme had been drawn at a secret meeting between Musharraf and former CIA director George Tenet" in New York on September 24, 2003. Khan demanded an inquiry and the trial of "Musharraf and his coterie". "It is an open secret that Musharraf had deep-rooted contacts with Israel and God knows how many secrets he had transferred to them," he claimed. Khan was placed under house arrest after he confessed to running a clandestine proliferation ring in early 2004. Pakistani courts eased restrictions on his movements last year though Khan remains under the surveillance of security agencies. — PTI
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Top US lawmaker refuses to dine with PM
A top Republican lawmaker has turned down a much-coveted invitation from the White House to dine with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and the Democratic leader in the Senate will also be conspicuous by his absence.
John Boehner, the House minority leader, declined to attend the state dinner in honour of Manmohan Singh on Tuesday citing plans in his home state of Ohio for the Thanksgiving holiday, according to Politico, a Capitol Hill newspaper. The paper noted that Boehner, who complained earlier this month that President Barack Obama’s White House hasn’t invited Republicans over to talk healthcare since April, attended a state dinner for Queen Elizabeth II in 2007, when fellow Republican George W. Bush was the President. His absence at the dinner will not be the first time that a member of the opposing party has declined such an invitation. Harry Reid opted out of the 2007 dinner for Queen Elizabeth II. Reid, who is also not attending the dinner for Manmohan Singh, will be home in Nevada. Manmohan Singh is being honoured with the first state dinner of the Obama administration. According to the White House Historical Association, a state dinner honouring a visiting head of government or reigning monarch is one of the “grandest and most glamorous of White House affairs.” It is part of an official state visit and provides the president and first lady the opportunity to honour the visiting head of state and his or her spouse. “It is a courtesy, an expression of good will, a way of extending hospitality. It brings to mind the tradition of breaking bread with friends to seal a friendship. It is an event that also showcases global power and influence. The traditional toasts exchanged by the two leaders at the dinner offer an important and appropriate platform for the continuation of the serious dialogue that has taken place earlier in the day.” Prominent lawmakers invited to the dinner include John Kerry of Massachusetts, Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, Richard Durbin of Illinois and Richard Lugar of Indiana, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke will also be attending the state dinner. A senior White House official told Politico that senior Obama advisers Valerie Jarrett and David Axelrod are expected to be at the state dinner as well as Domestic Policy Adviser Melody Barnes and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina. The official said invitations have also been extended to Indian-American staffers at the White House. Among the civilians attending will be Vishakha N. Desai, president of Asia Society, who also attended Bush’s state dinner honoring Singh in 2005. Indian American supporters of Bush found their names missing from the guest list.Narender Reddy, president of Sterling Reality Services Inc., said he was not invited this year, but he was there for Singh’s 2005 dinner. “I did not receive an invitation, probably because I’m a Republican, and I don’t think I’ll receive any greeting cards from the White House either,” Reddy said.
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Krishna in Kabul for Karzai’s swearing-in
Kabul, November 18 Krishna arrived in the heavily-fortified Afghan capital this evening where he was received by Indian Ambassador Jayant Prasad and senior officials of the Afghan government. Karzai will be sworn in as President for another five years at a ceremony tomorrow at the Presidential Palace in the central Kabul. "The swearing-in of President Karzai is in itself, from India's point of view, a significant event. India and Afghanistan have historical and civilisational links and we have a vibrant and cordial relationship," Krishna told accompanying reporters. "I would like to congratulate the people of Afghanistan for the courage that they have shown in going to the polling stations to exercise their franchise," he said. The 51-year-old Karzai won a second term in office following August 20 election and withdrawal of his main challenger Abdullah Abdullah from a run-off which was scheduled for November seven. Several foreign ministers from all parts of the world are expected to attend the inauguration along with hundreds of Afghan dignitaries. Afghan authorities and international forces have put in place a multi-layered security in Kabul to guard against Taliban attacks expected to coincide with the inauguration. International troops at NATO-led ISAF military bases in Kabul and its outskirts have been put on full combat alert. Krishna's visit is significant as India has been supporting several projects, including building highways and the Parliament building in the war-ravaged nation. India has gone ahead with the projects despite several attacks on its nationals in Afghanistan, the most recent being the terror attack on the embassy last month which killed 17 Afghan nationals. He said he would convey sincere wishes of the Indian Government and the people to Karzai and the people of Afghanistan.
— PTI
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