Pakistani Nuclear Scientist Dr Qadeer released from house arrest

High court rules Abdul Qadeer Khan was not involved in selling nuclear secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya

A bench of Islamabad High Court on Friday declared Dr Abdul Qadeer as a free citizen of the country and ordered for removing all restrictions on his free movement. Dr Abdul Qadeer wants to spend his time in the research work, the scientists' counsel Barrister Ali Zafar told media after the court decision.

The court also ordered VIP security for Qadeer and said that he can meet his relatives and friends without restrictions. Chief Justice Mr. Justice Sardar Mohammed Aslam heard the arguments of Dr Qadeer's counsel Barrister Ali Zafar over a petition challenging detention of Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan.

Commenting on his release Nuclear scientist Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan said the court decision is pleasant and expressed satisfaction with the Islamabad High Court judgment.

"I am satisfied with the Islamabad High Court verdict. Hopefully the detailed judgment will also be in my favor like the brief decision, "I will not sue anyone for my detention."

Qadeer said he was satisfied with the official security provided to him adding, "when the entire world was against me Pakistan had provided me security and there is no safer place for me than Pakistan." He said working for the welfare organizations will be his foremost priority. He said he will need government permission to go abroad and expressed his intention to perform Umra. "Firstly I will visit my ailing brother in Karachi." He also thanked the people and the media and said that the people's prayers and love made the difficult time easier for him.

In an interview with the Guardian after this morning's court ruling, the metallurgist said he had no plans to travel abroad or engage in domestic politics. Looking relaxed and well, the 72-year-old strolled in the front garden of his plush villa in Islamabad, playing with a pet dog and receiving well-wishers.

"It's a nice feeling, the worry is gone. I can lead a normal life now, as a normal citizen. It's a fine feeling," he later said by telephone.

Khan was detained in early 2004 after making a televised confession to nuclear proliferation, following intense international pressure on Pakistan. His nuclear trading network had been discovered by western intelligence agents.

A national hero in Pakistan for spearheading the country's nuclear weapons programme, Khan subsequently retracted his confession.

He said that, aside from having to maintain guards around him, he had been freed with the "blessing" of the government, which had been "very helpful".

Khan has been fighting a long-running court case against his detention, saying he had not been convicted of any crime. Under the previous regime, led by the then army chief, Pervez Musharraf, he had little chance of successfully challenging his arrest, but the civilian government has been flagging its wish to see him freed.

Khan's lawyer said the high court had declared him a free citizen. "The court has said as he was not involved in nuclear proliferation or criminal activity, there is no case against him, therefore he is a free citizen," Ali Zafar said.

Last year a United Nations nuclear watchdog said Khan's network smuggled nuclear blueprints to Iran, Libya and North Korea and was active in 12 countries. Last month the US state department imposed sanctions on 13 individuals – two of them British – and three private companies because of their involvement in Khan's network.

Pakistan has prevented foreign investigators from questioning Khan, insisting it has passed on all relevant information about nuclear proliferation. That bar is likely to remain.

Asked about his personal security he said: "Security will be OK. Security was there before and it will be there. In a sense I'm not a normal person, so they have to provide some security, some sort of cover, so nobody can do any mischief.".

Until now the army had been guarding Khan and would stop anyone approaching his home. It is unclear whether they will be replaced by civilian guards. Khan said he did not have concerns for his personal safety.

"I never had any fear. I am a good Muslim, not a fanatic or a fundamentalist, and I know that the time and place [for death] has been fixed by Him."

After the elections last year, which ended more than eight years of military rule, Khan began speaking to the media by phone, saying he had been made a scapegoat for others involved in the scheme to sell Pakistan's nuclear technology. He also lashed out at Musharraf, whom he blames for waging a vendetta against him. But he said today he would not involve himself in politics, instead working in the education sector and other philanthropic activity.

"In seven generations, no one [in my family] has ever taken part in any politics. My father was a teacher, a headmaster. We are mostly interested in education," Khan said. "Mostly I'll be dealing now with educational problems, and problems we are facing in the country about agriculture, education and water shortage. I'll concentrate on those."

He said he passed the time by reading during his confinement at home, where he lives with his Dutch wife and granddaughter. During detention, he was treated for prostate cancer.

"Except that I have been sick quite a few times, I had cancer, otherwise, the rest is OK. I kept myself busy. I read Qur'an, I read other books. And now I've started writing articles in the newspaper."

He said he might travel to Karachi, where his siblings live, or visit friends in Lahore, but he had no wish to go abroad, except for a pilgrimage to Mecca. American and UN weapons experts have repeatedly said they want to question him about his alleged proliferation activities and he would risk arrest if he went overseas.

Enough travel [overseas], I have lived 15 years abroad and there is no desire to wander around any more."