We diverted US funds to strengthen defences against India: Musharraf

In an interview with a news channel,he said he “did not care” whether the US would be angered by his disclosure. The former military ruler,who resigned as President in August last year to avoid impeachment,said he was not ready to compromise on Pakistan’s interests.

India and several influential lawmakers in the US have been saying that Pakistan had used funds given to it by the US to take on militants to strengthen its defences against India. But Pakistan had been denying the charges.

Musharraf said that if he had not supported the US in the war against terror after the 9/11 attacks,American forces could have entered Pakistan to capture its nuclear assets. He said it was also possible that the US and India could have jointly attacked the country.

He said Pakistan’s nuclear programme was so advanced during his tenure that scientists had not only begun enriching uranium but had also developed plutonium-based weapons.

Asked about scientist A Q Khan’s claim that he had been forced to make a confession about running a nuclear proliferation network,Musharraf said Khan “had done a lot but he was lying that he was forced to apologise before the nation”.

He also said he expects justice from Chief Justice Ifthikar M Chaudhry if he is tried for treason and for the killing of Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti. The Balochistan High Court had on Friday issued notices to Musharraf and his aides to appear before it in connection with the killing.