The Jungles of Today Romesh Thapar WE are on the edge of what are bound to become prolonged nuclear dialogues between India and Pakistan. Boastfully, the Pakistani, scientists, Dr Ali Khan, in his heavily guarded residence in Islamabad, has made some rather loose and provocative statements to the visiting Indian journalist, Kuldip Nayar, and has confirmed our neighbour's possession of the nuclear weapon. Why he gave the interview is already the subject of controversy. On top of it, the statements made are being denied. Kuldip Nayar was right when he said that maybe it will be reported that the interview never took place! The repercussions suggest that either the Pakistani scientist, together with editor Mushahid, who accompanied Nayar, were playing a hawkish role on their own and possibly on behalf of some military-civilian faction, or they planned to use Nayar for a subterfuge with the backing of General Zia and others, to make it look as if India had agreed to a border disengagement because of the bomb. The story got delayed by a month, and now the repercussions have taken on a new flavour. Journalists, beware of suspicious scoops! 1 hope the US State Department is going to take serious note of what has been said. It is proof that Pakistan has elbowed itself into a position where it might not be possible to receive US military aid