AQ Khan’s family threatens direct action

Henny Khan, the loyal Dutch wife of Dr AQ Khan, has for the first time issued a direct threat to the government, saying the time for “low-profile, patriotism and national interest” is over and if her husband’s situation did not change “we will undertake whatever action we deem necessary”.

Henny Khan, in her first strongly-worded statement since her husband was humiliated and detained by the Musharraf regime in 2004, has now sent a note to The News. Analysts said if the AQ Khan family decided to break their silence, they could grossly embarrass the government and reveal a lot of things that the military regime of General Musharraf had forcibly concealed.

The first impression one gets from this unprecedented communication is that the AQ Khan family had decided to stop acting on the orders of the government to stay in a low-profile mode and had reached the conclusion that now it would not be blackmailed any more in the name of “patriotism and national interest”.

Ms Khan also handed over a list of demands to the present and future government. “As the family, we are not requesting a public profile. All we ask is that Dr AQ Khan be allowed to lead a normal life, attend his NGO office, meet his friends, take his family out for dinner and be given the freedom that was promised by Gen Musharraf himself.”

Ms Khan who left her own country to live with the top nuclear scientist of Pakistan seemed to have finally run out of patience. In recent months, Dina Khan, daughter of AQ Khan, used to defend her father in the media by giving his side of the story on important issues concerning her father.

It is now quite clear that after years of reclusion, the family seems to have decided to challenge all the claims and accusations against Dr Khan and start confronting the government. The family has now vowed that it would use all available means to get freedom for Dr Khan who is in detention for the last four years.

A recent report in The News “AQ Khan’s release not in sight” on March 6 by Qudssia Akhlaque actually made Ms Henny Khan to give her reaction. The report said: “On the future of Dr AQ Khan, sources in the Strategic Plans Division hinted that the status quo would be maintained as it was considered imperative for his own safety and the country’s national security.” The status quo referred to is his so-called “protective custody”.

Henny Khan hit back on Tuesday by saying: “Allow me to point out that three attempts have been made on the life of the president. Is he being kept in protective custody for his own safety, even though there does not seem to be a dearth of those who wish him ill?”

Ms Khan referred to a statement of Ch Shujaat Hussain who had said: “Within this protective framework, we will make all efforts to provide him an environment which is conducive to the health and sanity of a national hero who has played a definite role in creating a nuclear Pakistan.”

Ms Khan commented on Shujaat Hussain’s statement by saying: “Again allow me to point out that, though Mr Shujaat himself was instrumental in negotiating the deal in which Dr Khan was to take the full blame on himself and, in return, was to be granted pardon with full freedom of movement and travel within Pakistan, his government did nothing to implement their part of the deal. Now, after 4 years of broken promises, we hear talk of working within this protective framework.”

She maintained that it was the same Ch Shujaat who, in an interview on Feb 5, 2004, said: “He (AQ Khan) has saved the country a second time”. The report in The News had observed that the dominant view in defence policy circles was that as long as the AQ Khan issue was alive, it would be difficult for Pakistan to give him a public profile.

Reacting to this observation, Henny Khan retorted: “Now it was not acceptable to the family any more as we think the time for low profile, patriotism and national interest is over. We will allow whichever government comes to power sufficient time to take some sort of action in my husband’s case. If nothing is forthcoming, we will undertake whatever action we deem necessary.”