ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN
Fucking cowards.
That’s what Atiq thought of everyone in that room.
Damn gutless cowards, born without a backbone, too quick to succumb to pressure from the Americans.
Leading this witchhunt was none other than Minister Vijay Korai. He sat opposite Atiq across the long table in the main conference room of the mountain facility, anger flashing in his eyes.
“You have betrayed our trust,” Korai began, flanked by the top generals of the Pakistani Army and Air Force. Present also were the heads of both houses of Parliament, the chairman of the Senate, and the speaker of the National Assembly.
The Supreme Court chief justice as well as the chief justices of the High Courts of Islamabad and the Federal Shariat Court also sat across the table.
In contrast, Atiq sat alone, on trial, glaring at his inquisitors with defiance. Even his colleagues in the intelligence services and the internal police were distancing themselves, sitting at the ends of the table.
Looking down at his notes, Korai continued, “We have lost over sixty percent of our fighter jets, two-thirds of our army bases, and…” He shuffled a few papers and said, “Seventy thousand dead so far and the numbers are likely to increase in the coming days and weeks, especially from the destruction in Karachi. Our reactors at Khushab are destroyed, and we’ve just received an unconfirmed report of an attack against our underground facility in Nawabshah.”
Atiq raised his brows in obvious surprise. That complex had been buried deep enough to survive a direct nuclear strike. Yet, the Americans had found a way to get to it.
Korai droned on and on about their military and industrial losses since the attacks began, reading out reports from various agencies, including the Department of Energy, which was slowly bringing the country back online.
Finally, the prime minister stood, pointed a finger at Atiq, and said, “You stood before all of us and guaranteed that the responsibility would fall on ISIS, not us. You have weakened our position against India … against our enemies. I’m here today, in front of the heads from all branches of our government, accusing you of the highest treason against Pakistan. Do you have anything to say in your defense?”
Atiq stared at them and once again chose silence. Their minds were already made up, and he would not give them the pleasure of hearing him beg for his life.
“Do you still refuse to tell us the location of the third bomb?” Korai asked.
Atiq continued looking at them with indifference.
Looking about him, Korai added, “Very well … all who find Dr. Gadai guilty of high treason, please raise your hand.”
In unison, everyone in the room not only raised a hand but also stood.