July 22, 2008	Tuesday	Rajab 18, 1429

ISLAMABAD, July 21: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday barred nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan from speaking on the nuclear proliferation issue, but allowed him to meet relatives and travel inside the country after security clearance.

“The petition is disposed of in the following terms,” IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Aslam ruled and spelled out five conditions determining his freedom.

The terms allow Dr A.Q. Khan to meet close relatives and friends subject to security clearance and necessary precautions taken for his security and safety which the five-page judgment said was of paramount importance.

Dr Khan is required to inform security agencies of details of close relatives or friends so that the government could make necessary arrangements.

The judgment said that Dr Khan would not convey, transmit or relay any comments or give interview to any channel, news reporter, print or electronic media in any manner, whatsoever on issue of nuclear proliferation.

Recently, Dr Khan gave interviews to the electronic media accusing President Pervez Musharraf and the army of being involved in transfer of nuclear technology to North Korea. Later, Dr Khan sent a hand-written note to the high court, putting all the blame on the media for “misquoting” him on several occasions but not publishing his rebuttals.

Dr Khan would be provided heath-care facility by a doctor of his choice as and when asked for and no restriction will be placed on his visit in Pakistan to meet any of his close relatives subject to security clearance.

Dr Khan is required not to convey any information about nuclear proliferation to any of his relatives or friends by any means whatsoever. Adequate arrangements would be made for Dr Khan to visit Science Foundation (for research work) under strict security arrangements.

Dr Khan had confessed on television to having transferred nuclear secrets to Iran, Libya and North Korea. He was pardoned by President Musharraf, but was placed under house arrest.

“I am meeting Dr Khan in the evening to discuss the possibility of filing a review against the decision,” Dr Khan’s counsel Barrister M. Javed Iqbal Jafree told Dawn after the announcement of the judgment.

He said the judgment had addressed only one of many issues which had been raised, like a request to initiate contempt of court proceedings against a government lawyer for allegedly making an incorrect statement about his detention.

The judgment had used the word ‘detenue’ for Dr Khan, thus admitting that he was under illegal confinement, Mr Jafree claimed.

During the pendency of the case, Ms Hendrina Khan, the wife of Dr Khan, had moved the high court by writing a letter disputing the government’s claim that her husband was not under any illegal detention and requesting for his release, especially after he had been pardoned by the president.

The court rejected a request made by Dr Khan’s counsel to allow the electronic media to have a glimpse of the scientist from a safe distance.