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Pakistan feared Israeli raid on nuclear sites

B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD: In the aftermath of the 1998 nuclear tests, Pakistan established contacts with Israel to ascertain the veracity of speculation that Tel Aviv was planning pre-emptive strikes on its nuclear installations.

Disclosing this at a discussion on "engaging Israel for peace?" organised by South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) here recently, former Foreign Secretary of Pakistan Riaz Khokar who was ambassador in Washington at that time, said he was authorised by the Government to establish contacts with Israeli mission in the United States.

"I got in touch with the ambassador of Israel in Washington to find out if Israel was indeed contemplating action against nuclear installations of Pakistan. After establishing contact with the then Israeli Prime Minister who was visiting China, Tel Aviv categorically denied any such plans," Mr. Khokhar said.

Besides Mr. Khokar, two other former Foreign Secretaries of Pakistan (Niaz A. Naik and Tanvir Ahmad Khan) were the other participants at the discussion followed by a question and answer session.

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