LHC orders medical facility to Dr AQ Khan

LAHORE - The Lahore High Court on Tuesday ordered the Federal government to allow provision of medical facility to national nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan and meeting with his relatives.
Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry also sought explanation from the government till February 19 as to why unnecessary restrictions have been imposed on fundamental rights of Dr Khan.
The court passed this order on a petition, filed by Dr AQ Khan, challenging governments ban on meeting with his relatives and medical supplies to him under the garb of a court order.
His counsel Barrister Syed Ali Zafar pleaded that the main case for the release of Dr AQ Khan was pending with the court whereas the government has once again restricted Dr Khan from going outside his residence, even he was not allowed to visit his brother who was critically ill in the hospital.
He submitted that not only Dr Khans family and friends were being stopped from visiting him but the government in an unprecedented move even restricted the supply of water to him and stopped his doctor and medical staff to visit him which could severely jeopardize his health.
It was alleged that all this was being done under the garb of a recent interim order of the LHC in which the court had directed the federal government to give security to the scientist.
Barrister Zafar submitted that Dr Khan was facing a most serious breach of even basic fundamental rights and that this could not be the intention of the LHC when passing the recent orders.