Father of Pak nuke ind Dr A Q Khan hospitalised

Islamabad, Mar 5: Pakistan's top nuclear scientist Dr A Q Khan was hospitalised today after he complained of weakness. ''Doctors advised him (Dr Khan) to be hospitalised for a detailed medical checkup after he complained of weakness,'' a military statement said here. Dr A Q Khan, who has been under house arrest since 2004, was keeping in good health since his prostate surgery in September 2006.

''Yesterday, he complained of weakness and was provided immediate medical treatment at home,'' the statement said, adding medical checkup revealed low blood pressure and fever, probably due to some infection. It added Dr Khan has thus been shifted to the hospital in the morning, where a panel of doctors, who treated him earlier, were taking care of him. ''Doctors treating him are hopeful that Dr Khan will return home fully recovered in a couple of days,'' said the statement. Pakistan came under tremendous international pressure in October 2003 over revelations by the International Atomic Energy Agency about proliferation of nuclear technology to Iran, Libya and North Korea by Dr Khan.

The government assured international community of full cooperation in the global nuclear non-proliferation efforts and introduced a new law almost a year later to check export of nuclear-related materials.

However, President Musharraf often made it clear that Pakistan would not hand over Dr Khan to any foreign country for questioning, saying Islamabad had already shared results of investigations in the nuclear scandal with the international community.

UNI