A.Q. Khan – “Dresed to Kill.” Photo courtesy The Economist
One of the big mysteries in the past decade or more revolves round Pakistan’s Abdul Qadeer Khan, described as ‘father of Islamic bomb’. The Economist raises more disturbing questions regarding nuclear black market. Why is there a conspiracy of silence on this important subject even in the West?
“To borrow a phrase from Donald Rumsfeld, George Bush’s former defence secretary, when it comes to the illicit trade in bomb-useable nuclear materials and know-how, it is the unknown unknowns that keep people awake at night.
“The revelation in 2004 that Abdul Qadeer Khan, the man still feted in Pakistan as the father of its bomb, had turned his country’s illicit procurement network into a private and hugely profitable supply chain, ready to sell all sorts of nuclear kit to others, was a huge blow to the global anti-proliferation effort. But exactly how far did the damage go?
“Three years on, Western intelligence agencies are still not really sure who was the next big customer being lined up, after Iran, North Korea and Libya—though Syria is one suspect. Mr Khan’s speciality was the wherewithal to enrich uranium (suitable, if enriched sufficiently, for the fissile core of a bomb); others in Pakistan did the real bomb-tinkering. But in Libya’s case, he also threw in a 95%-complete proven weapon design—one that had earlier been supplied to Pakistan by China.
“Iran was given instructions on how to cast uranium metal into spheres—a tricky step in bomb-making—but denies it ever used them. It is the stuff of nightmares, but did any of this know-how also fall into terrorist hands?
“No one knows—or no one is telling”…
To read the full story please click here…
Swaraaj Chauhan describes his two-decade-long stint as a full-time journalist as eventful, purposeful, and full of joy and excitement. In 1993 he could foresee a different work culture appearing on the horizon, and decided to devote full time to teaching journalism (also, partly, with a desire to give back to the community from where he had enriched himself so much.)
Alongside, he worked for about a year in 1993 for the US State Department’s SPAN magazine, a nearly five-decade-old art and culture monthly magazine promoting US-India relations. It gave him an excellent opportunity to learn about things American, plus the pleasure of playing tennis in the lavish American embassy compound in the heart of New Delhi.
In !995 he joined WWF-India as a full-time media and environment education consultant and worked there for five years travelling a great deal, including to Husum in Germany as a part of the international team to formulate WWF’s Eco-tourism policy.
He taught journalism to honors students in a college affiliated to the University of Delhi, as also at the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication where he lectured on “Development Journalism” to mid-career journalists/Information officers from the SAARC, African, East European and Latin American countries, for eight years.
In 2004 the BBC World Service Trust (BBC WST) selected him as a Trainer/Mentor for India under a European Union project. In 2008/09 He completed another European Union-funded project for the BBC WST related to Disaster Management and media coverage in two eastern States in India — West Bengal and Orissa.
Last year, he spent a couple of months in Australia and enjoyed trekking, and also taught for a while at the University of South Australia.
Recently, he was appointed as a Member of the Board of Studies at Chitkara University in Chandigarh, a beautiful city in North India designed by the famous Swiss/French architect Le Corbusier. He also teaches undergraduate and postgraduate students there.
He loves trekking, especially in the hills, and never misses an opportunity to play a game of tennis. The Western and Indian classical music are always within his reach for instant relaxation.
And last, but not least, is his firm belief in the power of the positive thought to heal oneself and others.