Dr Khan's detention case: Contempt plea filed against President
By Assad Hameed July 29, 2008 ISLAMABAD - Chief Justice Sardar Mohammad Aslam will today (Tuesday) take up a contempt petition against President Pervez Musharraf and 10 others for keeping Dr AQ Khan under strict detention despite a court ruling which directed authorities to free the father of country’s nuclear programme.
Earlier, counsel for Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan Monday filed a contempt of court petition in Islamabad High Court (IHC) against 11 persons including President Pervez Musharraf for flouting a recent court ruling that relaxed the custody of Dr Khan.
In the contempt plea, Barrister Javed Iqbal Jaffery, who is also close friend of Dr Khan, complained to IHC that the Dr Qadeer Khan’s detention has not ended up as being ordered by the Chief Justice, Sardar Muhamamd Aslam on July 21.
IHC had relaxed the detention of Dr Khan besides allowing him traveling inside the country and access to health care facilities of his choice. However, Dr Khan was barred from discussing issue of nuclear proliferation with media.
Besides the President, Barrister Javed Iqbal Jaffery has also accused Information Minister, Sherry Rahman, Interior Secretary, Kamal Shah, Attorney General Malik Qayyum and other respondents for flouting the court order and continuing the detention of Dr Khan in violation of the IHC ruling.
The petitioner has further agitated that many friends of Dr Khan has been denied a meeting with him despite the clear ruling of IHC that allows Dr Khan to meet friends after security clearance.
Nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan Khan is under continuous house arrest since 2004 following his confession on state-run television about his involvement in nuclear proliferation to Libya, Iran and South Korea.