Nawaz, his ministers were against 1998 nuclear tests: Gohar Ayub

[Naveed Yaseen]

LAHORE: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and the ministers in his cabinet had initially opposed conducting nuclear tests in 1998, former foreign minister Gohar Ayub said on Saturday.

Those who opposed the move included Mushahid Hussain, Nisar Ali Khan, Sartaj Aziz and Abida Hussain, Gohar said while talking to Najam Sethi during ‘Tonight with Najam Sethi’ on Dunya News.

He said Nisar, the present opposition leader in the National Assembly, would confirm his claim if was asked about the matter.

Gohar said Mushahid had initially asked Nawaz to conduct the nuclear tests but had changed his mind the very next day.

“Mushahid changed his mind and did not support the nuclear tests of May 28, 1998 during a cabinet meeting held to consider the issue,” he said.

He said when Zafarul Haq had asked then army chief Jahangir Karamat about the tests, Karamat had said it was “a political decision”.

He said Nawaz did not favour conducting the tests, but was “outlawed” and went along with the cabinet’s decision that clearly voted in favour of nuclear tests.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...2009_pg1_9