The Pakistani authorities have noticed “extremely suspicious movements and the presence of several foreigners” in the neighbourhood of nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, official sources said.
“Intelligence officials have noticed extremely suspicious movements and presence of several foreigners around the area where Abdul Qadeer Khan lives,” a senior interior ministry official told this newspaper citing intelligence reports.
The interior ministry official said the government has apprised the Islamabad high court (IHC) of the “suspicious activities” as that court had issued orders that Dr Khan’s house arrest end in 2009.
In a report submitted to the court regarding compliance with its February 6, 2009 orders, the ministry said, “Security officials have gathered information that several foreigners have taken houses on rent in the same sector/neighbourhood. More recently, it is learned that a foreigner is likely to shift to the house next door as well.”
According to the report, the personnel deployed for the nuclear scientist’s security have spotted “some extremely suspicious” movements of persons and vehicles close to his residence.
A separate report compiled by the interior ministry said Dr Khan was stopped from attending an OIC seminar to prevent foreign delegations from interacting with him. This report said the nuclear scientist spoke on sensitive issues in violation of court orders and added the statements were being assessed. The interior ministry has already approached IHC to seek restrictions on Dr Khan’s movements, the official said, adding, “There are covert foreign operators inside Pakistan and, given Dr Khan’s profile, one cannot rule out that he would be a focus of their attention.”
Dr Khan had confessed during the military regime of Pervez Musharraf in 2004 that he supplied nuclear secrets to North Korea, Libya and Iran. He later backtracked, saying his confession was made under pressure.
“Certain correspondence has taken place in this respect. That is confidential but shall be presented to the court in private to demonstrate that the belief of the security officials is well founded and based on substantive material gathered from credible sources. It is necessary to submit the above risk assessment before the court for urgent and necessary instructions to Dr Khan for compliance with security advice/protocol,” the report submitted to the court said.
The report added, “Dr Khan, in disregard of the orders of the court, is continuing to interact with the media on issues relating to Pakistan’s nuclear programme while explaining his role in the same. No other scientist, who has remained associated with the programme, gives such statements while interacting with the media. Thus, Dr Khan needs to be contained.”
It was also said that the nuclear scientist had so far filed no legal case against Henderson for writing articles against Pakistan’s nuclear programme while attributing the contents to him.
According to the report, Dr Khan insisted on walking on the footpath facing a wide strip of bushes, a stretch that cannot be secured to the satisfaction of security staff.