At least nine Pakistani nuclear scientists have ‘‘secretly’’ left the country, adding to the fears of the world community that Islamabad’s nuclear weapons may fall into wrong hands. The defection of nuclear scientists, including those trained in China, started in 1997 with the maximum number leaving the country between February and October 2000. The details about these ‘‘defections’’ were revealed in a memo sent by engineers of Chasnupp N-power plant, built with Chinese assistance in central Pakistan, to the country’s higher authorities. The memo, published by US-based online South Asia Tribune weekly, warned the authorities that ‘‘many more’’ of its 250 nuclear scientists and engineers were ‘‘planning to run’’ from the country because they were not getting a fair deal at home. The memo, which gave a list of nine absconders, only speculated that these engineers went to the US, Canada or Australia but in fact they could have gone to any other country as they had left without permission or informing the authorities. It said most of the nuclear engineers and scientists working at Chasnupp ‘‘are unhappy with their salaries and other benefits and are thus looking for openings to leave the country quitely.’’ ‘‘The working conditions of these nuclear scientists should be a cause for grave concern as unhappy engineers at nuclear facilities could mean troubles of all kinds,’’ the weekly quoted a retired Pakistani nuclear scientist as saying.
