July 22, 2008	Tuesday	Rajab 18, 1429

ISLAMABAD, July 21: Nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan said on Monday he would challenge what he called disappointing judgment of the Islamabad High Court.

Talking to Dawn by phone, Dr Khan said he and his lawyers had not been expecting such a judgment. About the court barring him from giving interviews to media on the nuclear issue, he said he would counter any statement issued to malign him.

“I have disclosed no new thing to the media, but repeated the things already stated by President Pervez Musharraf in his book,” he said.

“Neither I have given any anti-Pakistan statement nor I will do so in future, but I will definitely clear my position if any allegation is made against me in future,” he said.

Dr Khan said that the five-page order of the IHC termed him detenue which confirmed that he had been under illegal detention for over four years.

“But it is unfortunate that the court did not ask the counsel of the federation to produce the orders under which I was put under house arrest,” he said.

Dr Khan said he was still under detention and the court had not given him any relief.

“I am not even allowed to offer prayers in the mosque in front of my house. So how am I a free man,” he asked.