ISLAMABAD, Nov 10: A constitutional petition, filed by a PPP activist, on Friday urged the Supreme Court to order the constitution of a medical board to report on the health of Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan.

Chaudhry Masood Akhtar, who is vice-president of the District Bar Association Rawalpindi, pleaded that the court should call Dr A.Q. Khan to make a statement about his condition in an independent environment.

In the past, a similar petition was rejected by the apex court. Drafted by Mohammad Ikram Chaudhry on behalf of Chaudhry Masood, another PPP worker, the petition pleaded to declare his detention illegal.

"By no means the petition reflects the policy of the party and must be filed by Chaudhry Akhtar in his individual capacity since such matters are always approved by chairperson Benazir Bhutto," spokesman for the PPP chairperson Farhatullah Babar said. Respondents in the petition are the federal government through interior ministry, secretary defence and director-general of the ISI.

If the production of Dr Khan before the court was not possible, the petitioner contended, then the respondents should be ordered to inform the court through a medical board about the scientist’s health and personal safety.