ISLAMABAD Nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan on Thursday told the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that 'dictator' Pervez Musharaf had persuaded him to make the 'so called confession' about his role in the nuclear proliferation in the name of national interest and on the promise of keeping him a 'free man and a hero.'

Chief Justice IHC Sardar Mohammad Aslam who had taken up a petition of Barrister M. Javed Iqbal Jafree, seeking review or recall its July 21 verdict reserved the judgment on its maintainability but directed Deputy Attorney General of Pakistan Amjad Iqbal Qureshi to submit in two days relevant cases to help decide the possibility of allowing the petition on habeas corpus matters.

In the petition Barrister Jafree had requested the high court to review its decision of barring the scientist from speaking on the nuclear proliferation issue, but allowing him to meet relatives and travel inside the country after security clearance.

Khan, in his handwritten letter in Urdu language of September 21, alleged that the confession he had read out on the television was given to him by the SPD (Strategic Planning Division) and despite the promise that he would be a free man after four months as all was being done for the US, but that four months have stretched to over four years and he was still under house arrest.

However the letter did not mention what kind of persuasion allegedly by Musharraf compelled Dr Khan to appear before the television and accept the wrong doings.

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

In a separate letter in English, Dr Khan requested the court to review its earlier judgment which has virtually put him under house arrest for life with no rights or facilities.

Its judgment, Dr Khan stated has mistakenly mentioned the Pakistan Science Foundation with which he has nothing to do. 'I want to regularly visit Pakistan Academy of Sciences of which I was President for six years,' the letter said.
Barrister Jafree told the court that Dr Khan was living on his meager resources and sacrificed everything for the country but the concerned authorities had violated the orders of this court.

Dr Khan was even barred from offering prayers in the nearby mosque, which he had built, the counsel said.
The counsel also requested the court that his client wanted to appear before it in person to witness the proceedings provided the government provided security though he believed he did not have any security concerns.