May 11: A Pakistani court has sought reply from the government regarding the restriction on the movement of the disgraced nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan.
The Lahore high court has sought a reply from the interior ministry for May 21 on a petition filed by Dr Khan, challenging the government’s restriction on his movement in defiance of the LHC orders.
On Monday, deputy secretary interior affairs, Nazir Ahmed, submitted a reply and insisted that the security protocol would be implemented. Barrister Syed Ali Zafar, the counsel for Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, opposed him and stated that it was in defiance of the LHC orders passed on March 29.
On this, Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry observed that a reply was not submitted on behalf of the government, because the secretary interior should personally file it. The court also directed that in the meantime, in case of any complaints by Dr Khan, the attorney-general should be informed for the redressal of his grievances.
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Suu Kyi’s last bid for freedom
Rangoon, May 11: Burma’s detained democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi is making a final bid for freedom, lawyers said after submitting a request for a special appeal against her house arrest. The Nobel Peace laureate has already lost two appeals against an August 2009 conviction, most recently at the country’s high court in February.
Her last legal option is the Special Appellate Bench, a multi-judge panel in the remote administrative capital of Naypyitaw. Lawyers filed their appeal on Monday at the high court, which will decide whether to forward the case to the special court for consideration, said attorney Nyan Win.
In August 2009, she was convicted of violating the terms of her house arrest for briefly sheltering an American who swam uninvited to her home, and she was ordered to serve three years in prison with hard labour.