AQ Khan Hopes New Govt Will Free Him

By SOHAIL ABDUL NASIR
ISLAMABAD - The father of Pakistan’s nuclear programme, Dr A Q Khan Tuesday said that he had been kept under illegal detention and hoped that the new Government would soon lift restrictions on his movement. “My health is deteriorating and the claims of the Government about my physical well- being do not carry weight”, he said in an exclusive interview with Nawa-i-Waqt. He said that the cardinal cause of his bad health was his solitary confinement.

He refuted the impression that he had been kept under detention due to his security concerns saying, “It is nothing but only a lame excuse by the Government”. During the interview that was conducted through special means he ran out of breath and was finding it difficult to speak fluently. Dr A Q Khan while speaking in a bitter tone, apparently on the attitude of the government, said that the irony of the fate was that he was being kept under solitary confinement.

Today (April 1) was Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan’s 72nd birthday. This correspondent also congratulated him on his birthday that he accepted pleasantly but his tone was not matching with his past determined, confident and vigorous expression.

He said that the stories that were being published in the newspapers regarding his good health were false. Rebutting the government’s given logic behind his detention, he said, “It is simply irrational. I was roaming around the world freely at times when in 1979 numerous fake cases had been registered against me in Holland and I faced no security threat.”

When asked about the true status of his health he replied, “My lower limbs are losing vitality and I am suffering from extreme lethargy”, adding that his blood pressure was going unmanageable day by day. He noted that there was no complication or disorder regarding his urinary system. Dr Abdul Qadir Khan paid special thanks and tributes to Chief Editor Nawa-i-Waqt for his very kind consideration and his efforts to depict the truth through his papers.

Our Staff Reporter from Lahore adds: Lawyers in the city Tuesday celebrated 72nd birth anniversary of Pakistan’s nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan who has been under house arrest since February 2004 and demanded his immediate release.

Dr Khan, who underwent operation in 2006, is again stated to be ill and had been shifted from his residence in Rawalpindi to Karachi last month for treatment.

The Save Judiciary Committee in the Lahore High Court compound has been demanding the release of Dr Khan over more than one year. The committee is recording the period of Dr Khan’s incarceration to alter its protest strategy accordingly. Last year, the committee had held a series of referendum to compare the popularity level of Dr Khan with President Musharraf. The referendum, which gave a high margin of popularity to Dr A Q Khan against General Pervez, was held continuously for about two months in the LHCBA premises in addition to its occasional stage at other places in the city. The committee had also announced Dr Khan its presidential candidate in the last election but it could not go beyond a limit after its demand for releasing him proved unfruitful.

The lawyers celebrated the birthday of Dr Khan at the camp where the advocates praised services of the country’s nuclear scientist and reiterated the demand for his immediate release. Chairman of committee, Abdul Rashid Qureshi said that due to efforts of Dr A Q Khan the defense of the country had become impregnable today. He compared incarceration of Dr Khan with that of posting of Indian nuclear scientist, Dr Abu Kalam as president of the state and lamented the heart tattering treatment the rulers gave to Dr Khan.

The lawyers at the camp cut cake for the health and long life of Dr Khan and demanded through slogans his early release.

Another friend of Dr Khan, Barrister Iqbal Jafree on March 9 last, had also sent a letter to the ministry of human rights to seek release of the scientist or at least permit him to meet with his friends and relations.

Jafree an advocate-turn, artist of international repute, claims his 40-year-old friendship with Dr Khan for whom he had also filed a habeas corpus petition which was, however, dismissed on the ground of locus standi.

Through the letter, Jafree focused on the health of Dr Khan and urged the authorities to set him free for he ‘has done no crime or caused any harm to anyone’. He says even if Khan did anything wrong, it stands pardoned by the president so there was no justification for keeping him under house arrest. He says if fear of Dr Khan’s being kidnapped by any state is hampering his release, then he may be allowed to see his friends and family members. (The Nation, Pakistan)