ISLAMABAD, Jan 15: The Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench adjourned on Thursday the hearing of a habeas corpus petition, seeking release of nuclear scientist Dr Mohammad Farooq from the ISI custody, till Jan 26.

Khush Niaz, wife of Dr Mohammad Farooq, in her writ petition filed through her counsel Advocate Chaudhry Ikram, stated her husband was picked up from his house in E-Block, Satellite Town, Rawalpindi on Nov 23.

When the petition came up for hearing, counsel for the federation, Qazi Naeem, sought more time for the provision of information sought by the court.

The counsel for the petitioner stated the government was employing delaying tactics and the court should not adjourn the case. The court, however, fixed Jan 23 as the next date of hearing.

The petitioner has made the federal government respondent through the interior secretary and the ISI director-general. The petitioner stated that her husband, who is a director in Grade 21 at the KRL, Kahuta, was arrested without warrants by a team headed by an army officer who identified himself as Col Nisar Ahmad.

The petitioner apprehended that her husband was being victimized and his life was in danger. Action against him was taken at the behest of the US FBI, the petitioner said.

The petitioner further stated that she had strong apprehensions that her husband might be shifted to some other country under the pressure of the US government.