Pakistan and Proliferation

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf likes to portray himself as a key U.S. ally in the war on terror, shoulder-to-shoulder in battling the Taliban and Al Qaeda. So it must have been hard for him to admit that Pakistan probably dabbled in spreading nuclear weaponry to rogue states. When faced with overwhelming evidence from international inspectors, Musharraf grudgingly acknowledged that Pakistani scientists appear to have sent nuclear designs and perhaps technology to countries trying to clandestinely develop atomic weapons.

In Libya, U.S., European and International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors scouring the country after Moammar Kadafi’s decision to give up his nuclear weapons program found technology for enriching uranium that appears to have come from Pakistan. Pakistan is also believed to have exchanged know-how with North Korea.

Musharraf said last week that top Pakistani scientists seem to have sold nuclear designs “for personal financial gain,” but he denied that any government or military officials were involved. That is not a believable assertion. For much of Pakistan’s history since 1947, the military and government have been one and the same, directly involved in all aspects of the nuclear program. Musharraf himself seized power in a military coup in 1999.

Pakistan’s army rule stifles development of civilian institutions -- judiciary, the media, political parties -- that might have blown the whistle on the accused nuclear transfers. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which is holding hearings today on the improvement in relations between India and Pakistan, should use the occasion to discuss ways to stop Pakistan’s technology sales. The committee and the Bush administration also should urge Musharraf to remove restraints on mainstream political parties that produced the country’s past civilian prime ministers. Musharraf has allied himself with Islamic parties, keeping some candidates from secular parties off the ballot.

Although a nuclear-free South Asia is a worthy goal, it is not realistic to expect Pakistan to give up its own nuclear weapons as long as India, the neighbor with which it has fought three wars, has its own. That is a separate issue from requiring Musharraf to prevent his scientists from shipping more nuclear technology abroad.

Musharraf has agreed to peace talks with India. He can start forging a lasting peace if he keeps Islamic radicals -- some of whom tried to kill him last month -- from crossing into Indian-held Kashmir to attack civilians and soldiers. These are important developments in a volatile region. Just as important is to ensure that Pakistan does not help spread nuclear knowledge to anyone who can pay.