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Published 29 Jan, 2004 12:00am

Musharraf has rolled back N-programme, alleges PML-N

ISLAMABAD, Jan 28: Acting parliamentary leader of Pakistan Muslim League-N Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has termed the present rulers security risks and alleged that Gen Pervez Musharraf has already rolled back the country's nuclear programme.

Speaking at "Meet the Press" programme here on Wednesday, the PML-N leader said the combined opposition would finalize its strategy soon to protest against the government's actions. He also said the opposition was considering to requisition the National Assembly session to discuss the issue of the alleged nuclear technology transfer.

He also criticized the government's policy on Kashmir and Afghanistan and said Gen Musharraf had taken a U-turn on all the foreign policy issues. He said in his six-month toil Gen Musharraf managed to bring the Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to the negotiating table and still the Indians were claiming that Kashmir was an integral part of India.

He ridiculed the government's claim that few scientists had transferred nuclear technology or some information for personal benefits. He said these scientists were serving the country despite having offers of millions of rupees salaries abroad.

He said this was not for the first time that allegations of nuclear proliferation were being levelled against a country. In the past, he said, similar allegations were made against China, Russia, Ukraine and Israel, but no country adopted the policy that had been adopted by Pakistan.

He asked the media to play its role in this regard. He said a meeting of all opposition parties would be convened before Eid to chalk out a common strategy. He said an individual had changed the 50-year policies of the country just to please the foreign powers. He regretted that the prime minister was not saying any word on the issue and a uniformed president was giving lectures to the nation.

He said Gen Musharraf was first ruling the country through the PCO and now through the LFO. He regretted that the parliament was not being taken into confidence on various national issues and all decisions were being made by an individual.

He said Gen Musharraf was running the country like Mr Gorbachev of Russia. He also condemned the arrest of the ARD president, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, and said he was picked up like an anti-state agent. He said the French journalists were released due to foreign pressure, while the government was trying the Pakistani journalists under the same charges. He said Shahbaz Sharif had made up his mind to return to the country. However, he said, no time had been decided for his return.

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