Lahore High Court directs Pak govt, A Q Khan to resolve protocol issue ‘amicably’
By ANIFriday, February 26, 2010
LAHORE - The Lahore High Court (LHC) has directed the federal government and nuclear scientist Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan to resolve issues concerning Khan’s movement amicably by March 5, failing which the court will decide the matter on its own.
Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry issued directions to both parties during an in-camera proceedings on two petitions, one filed by the federal government urging to restrain Khan from free movement and the other against the restriction.
It is pertinent to mention here that Dr. Khan, the father of Pakistan’s nuclear programme, had challenged his official protocol, terming it a violation of his fundamental rights, following which the Lahore High Court directed the concerned authorities to remove all restrictions on his movements.
However, under intense international pressure, the government appealed against the court’s directives, which saw the court put a stay order on the verdict.
In his petition Khan has negated the government’s plea that he had been giving interviews to local and foreign media.
He said that it was merely an allegation that he had been in direct or indirect communication with any foreign journalist. (ANI)