Pakistan has once again curtailed the movements of former chief nuclear scientist and black-market proliferator Abdul Qadeer Khan, Asian News International reported today (see GSN, Jan. 20).
Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik said after a meeting with senior officials that the government felt Khan's life was in danger.
"His life is under threat and we cannot take risks. Therefore, his movements are being restricted," Malik said.
Other senior Pakistani nuclear scientists have also been placed under heightened security following the recent assassinations of foreign scientists, he said (see GSN, Jan. 12).
"Dr. A.Q. Khan is a former custodian of sensitive information. The security of our nuclear assets and personnel is very important. Therefore, various measures were discussed to ensure foolproof security of Dr. Khan and other scientists," the Interior Ministry said in a statement.
Khan has said the new restrictions contravene the Lahore High Court's decision to grant him free movement following his 2009 release from house arrest. He accused the government of "committing contempt of court by doing this" (Asian News International I/Yahoo!News, Jan. 22).
Yesterday's high level meeting to discuss Khan's security was convened by order of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, the Indo-Asian News Service reported.
On Tuesday, the Pakistani government entered a petition with the high court to have Khan's permitted activities restricted. The petition said Khan's actions went against national interests and alleged that he disclosed secret details about the country's nuclear program to foreign news organizations (see GSN, Jan. 4; Indo-Asian News Service/Yahoo!News, Jan. 21).
In his official response to the petition, Khan said he had not shared any sensitive information with foreign journalists. He also refuted allegations that he had directly met with or communicated with international media, ANI reported.
"I never gave any media statement which would harm the national security," Khan wrote in his statement (Asian News International II/OneIndia.com, Jan. 22).