MUZAFFARABAD, Aug 23: AJK President Raja Zulqarnain Khan has been diagnosed with cancer but a special medical board constituted by the government has not recommended his treatment abroad, saying that cure to his ailment at this stage is available in Pakistan at much less cost, Dawn has learnt.

Mr Khan, 74, was found to be suffering from localised prostrate cancer during his recent visit to the United Kingdom. Prior to that, sources said, he had remained under treatment of a urologist in Islamabad.

The president, the sources claimed, wanted to undergo treatment in the UK but the members of the board comprising senior civil and military surgeons and physicians did not agree to it in their report submitted recently to AJK Health Secretary Maj-Gen Jahangir Anwar.

The board, the sources said, examined the president on Aug 13 and briefed him on the treatment options. The board members stated that since all facilities of treatment were available in several centres in Pakistan, there was no provision in rules to approve such a case for treatment abroad, the sources said.

One of the board members cited the case of Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, referring to him only as a renowned nuclear scientist of the country, and pointed out that he was also suffering from the same ailment which had been successfully treated in the country, the sources said.

In view of the facilities available in the country and the rules governing the issue, the president could not be referred abroad for treatment, the member maintained.

The president spent £3,808 in the United Kingdom during his recent three-week tour on his medical examination and the AJK health department had initiated proceedings for reimbursement of the amount, the sources said.