AQ Khan, the pioneer of nuclear blackmarketeering, has been declared a free man by Islamabad High Court on Friday. This coincided with media reports that suggested that the Pakistani establishment had reached an out-of-court settlement on easing restrictions imposed on him.
Mr Khan, whom many Pakistanis consider the father of the country’s atomic bomb, was placed under house arrest in 2004 by the then president, Pervez Musharraf, soon after he made a televised confession to selling nuclear secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya. Reports said Islamabad High Court reiterated its judgement of some months ago that the scientist was a free citizen subject to some security measures.
Reports from Islamabad said that his house arrest has also ended. The court directed the government to provide VVIP security to Mr Khan on an immediate basis. He will also be free to express his views and interact with the media. The high court said Mr Khan could freely move around within the country and can visit the Science Foundation for research.
Barely a month ago, the US had placed sanctions on 13 people and three companies “for their involvement in the AQ Khan nuclear proliferation network”.
Meanwhile, the US said Mr Khan remains a “serious proliferation risk” and expressed regret over his release from house arrest. The state department spokesperson, Gordon Duguid said reporters that the US embassy in Islamabad was in touch with the Pakistani government in this regard.
Mr Khan, whom many Pakistanis consider the father of the country’s atomic bomb, was placed under house arrest in 2004 by the then president, Pervez Musharraf, soon after he made a televised confession to selling nuclear secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya. Reports said Islamabad High Court reiterated its judgement of some months ago that the scientist was a free citizen subject to some security measures.
Reports from Islamabad said that his house arrest has also ended. The court directed the government to provide VVIP security to Mr Khan on an immediate basis. He will also be free to express his views and interact with the media. The high court said Mr Khan could freely move around within the country and can visit the Science Foundation for research.
Barely a month ago, the US had placed sanctions on 13 people and three companies “for their involvement in the AQ Khan nuclear proliferation network”.
Meanwhile, the US said Mr Khan remains a “serious proliferation risk” and expressed regret over his release from house arrest. The state department spokesperson, Gordon Duguid said reporters that the US embassy in Islamabad was in touch with the Pakistani government in this regard.
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