ISLAMABAD, Nov 3: The Supreme Court was requested on Wednesday to order constitution of a medical board to examine Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan in view of his 'deteriorating health'.

Advocate Ikram Chaudhry moved an application on behalf of Hassamul Haq, requesting that the board should include two doctors of Dr Khan's choice.

The petitioner said Dr Khan recently suffered high blood pressure, a stroke and even fell unconscious. He expressed the fear that Dr Khan also suffered some mental ailment.

Dr Khan, the petitioner said, had also conveyed his desire that two doctors of his choice should be included in the panel of doctors as he had lost confidence in the present team of doctors deputed to take care of his health, adding that his health was constantly declining.

The petitioner also pleaded for an early hearing of his main petition against the 'protected confinement' of Dr Khan as his life and liberty were in constant danger.

The petitioner also requested the court to direct state authorities, namely the federation through the interior secretary, Inter-Services Public Relations Director-General Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan, the Inter-Services Intelligence director-general and the National Command Authority chairman to produce Dr Khan before the Supreme Court or at least submit a report of the medical board regarding the health and safety of Dr Khan.