Alleged Kidnap Of Nuke Scientists By Taliban In Pakistan

If true this one is mind-boggling. However, it comes via the Iranian state news service from indian TV - it could do with some investigating by one of the big news services.

Two top nuclear scientists of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) are currently in Taliban custody. The two were working at PAEC's facility in North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

The two scientists were kidnapped about six months ago. To avoid international embarrassment Pakistan Government has kept this information under wraps, said an Indian private news channel "Zee News".

According to information available with Zee News, nuclear scientists have been kidnapped by Taliban at the behest of Al-Qaeda.

Further investigations reveal that Al-Qaeda may be using the expertise of the scientists to produce nuclear bombs. The two scientists are reportedly being held somewhere in Waziristan, near Afghanistan border.

In January this year Pakistan security agencies had foiled another attempt by Taliban militia to kidnap nuclear scientists. Earlier, incidents of Taliban militia stealing uranium in NWFP have already been reported. PAEC also has a uranium mining facility in NWFP.

With repeated Al Qaeda threats to the US, news of kidnapping of nuclear scientists will increase pressure on Pakistan to attack terrorist camps.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani parliament have put their motive out in the open - "no military aid, no war on terror".

A group of Pakistani lawmakers threatened Friday to halt counterterrorism cooperation with the United States if American military aid is made conditional on their country's commitment to fighting the Taliban and al-Qaida.

Pakistani and U.S. leaders are concerned that the link, contained in a bill that has cleared the U.S. House of Representatives, could sour relations between Washington and a key ally against international terrorism.

``Pakistan's contribution to the war on terror is far higher than any other country,'' the defense committee of Pakistan's lower house of parliament said.

If it becomes law, the condition ``calls for a reciprocal action from Pakistan, including complete or partial noncooperation in the war against terror,'' the committee said, according to an official summary of its Thursday meeting.

...Pakistan is worried that the spat could scupper the delivery of 18 new F-16s, an option to buy 18 more, and the refurbishing of 34 used aircraft already in the Pakistan air force's arsenal.

One could get quite discouraged about Pakistan's committment to waging the war on terror.