Supreme Court rejects decade-old plea

Petitioner had sought direction not to hand over Dr AQ Khan to the US

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has rejected a 10-year-old plea, seeking direction to the federal government not to hand over renowned scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan to the United States for investigation over the issue of non-proliferation of nuclear technology.

The three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk on Thursday took up the plea, filed by Wahabul Khairi of Al Jihad Trust, seeking direction for ensuring the protection of Dr Abdul Qadeer, who is the founder of Pakistan nuclear atomic programme.

In 2004, the applicant had moved petition under Article 14 (3) of the constitution and made, federal government, army chief, former army chiefs and other retired military officers as respondents.

The applicant while referring several Articles of the constitution has contended that the apex court is guarantor of fundamental rights of citizens, adding that nuclear scientists are being defamed by foreign powers as they are levelling baseless allegations against them.

He also alleged the then army chief Pervez Musharraf was also involved in hatching international conspiracy against Dr Abdul Qadeer as he had stated that some scientists were involved in nuclear proliferation for personal motives.

The applicant claims that foreign powers want to get nuclear technology from Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 28^th, 2014.