Afghanistan: For Soviet defeat in Afghanistan, US helped create a nuclear Pakistan? --- NEW DELHI: In July 1987, a Pakistani, Arshad Pervez, was arrested by US authorities when he was trying to bribe a Customs official to get an export license to buy high strength maraging steel — mainly used for building centrifuges to enrich uranium — and large amounts of beryllium that could be used only for Islamabad's still covert nuclear weapons programme. Around the same time, a Chinese national and two US citizens were indicted for illegal exports of advanced computers and similar technology to Pakistan. -- According to newly-declassified documents by the National Security Archive, the arrest led to a huge debate within the Reagan administration. Ken Adelman, the chief of Arms Control & Disarmament Agency (ACDA), according to the documents, wanted to come down hard on Pakistan. But the State Department hesitated, unwilling to jeopardize US-Pakistan relations, particularly as General Zia-ul-Haq was supporting the Afghan mujahideen. "We are particularly concerned about weakening the President's hand in discussions with the Soviets on Afghanistan, which [are] at a critical stage."