<p>The father of Pakistan's nuclear programme Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan today said that the country could have become a nuclear power as early as 1984 but the then President General Zia ul Haq "opposed the move".<br /><br /></p>.<p>He was addressing a gathering on the anniversary of first nuclear tests, which were carried out under his supervision in 1998.<br /><br />"We were able and we had a plan to launch nuclear test in 1984. But President General Zia ul Haq had opposed the move," said Khan.<br /><br />He said General Zia, who ruled Pakistan from 1979 to 1988, opposed the nuclear testing as he believed that the world would intervene militarily.<br /><br />Khan also said that Pakistan has the ability to target Indian capital Dehli from Kahuta near Rawalpindi in five minutes.<br /><br />Khan was disgraced in 2004 when he was forced to accept responsibility for proliferation and live a life of semi house arrest.<br /><br />He regretted the treatment and said Pakistan would never have achieved the feat of becoming first Muslim nuclear country without his "services".<br /><br />"We are facing the worst against our services to the country's nuclear program," he said referring to the humiliation he suffered.</p>
<p>The father of Pakistan's nuclear programme Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan today said that the country could have become a nuclear power as early as 1984 but the then President General Zia ul Haq "opposed the move".<br /><br /></p>.<p>He was addressing a gathering on the anniversary of first nuclear tests, which were carried out under his supervision in 1998.<br /><br />"We were able and we had a plan to launch nuclear test in 1984. But President General Zia ul Haq had opposed the move," said Khan.<br /><br />He said General Zia, who ruled Pakistan from 1979 to 1988, opposed the nuclear testing as he believed that the world would intervene militarily.<br /><br />Khan also said that Pakistan has the ability to target Indian capital Dehli from Kahuta near Rawalpindi in five minutes.<br /><br />Khan was disgraced in 2004 when he was forced to accept responsibility for proliferation and live a life of semi house arrest.<br /><br />He regretted the treatment and said Pakistan would never have achieved the feat of becoming first Muslim nuclear country without his "services".<br /><br />"We are facing the worst against our services to the country's nuclear program," he said referring to the humiliation he suffered.</p>