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Scientists, security staff involved in N-proliferation: Govt Attorney

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, Feb 11, IRAN - A Pakistani government`s lawyer Wednesday 
told a court that nuclear scientists and security officers of Dr. A.Q 
Khan were involved in nuclear proliferation and anti-state activities.
"If they were not arrested, the country`s security and sovereignty
could have been collapsed," Attorney General of Pakistan Makhdoom Ali 
Khan told the court. 
He was giving arguments on writ petitions filed by the family 
members of the nuclear scientists and the security personnel in the 
Lahore High Court in Rawalpindi city. 
The two-member bench comprising of Justice Maulvi Anwar-ul-Haq 
and Justice Munawar Ahmed, ordered the Attorney General to hand over 
copies of the written reply to lawyers of the arrested scientists and 
security men. 
The court adjourned the hearing till February 17. 
Attorney General of Pakistan Makhdoom Ali Khan told the court that
the nuclear scientists were arrested under security Act 1952 and their
arrest orders were issued by the Ministry of Interior. 
He said orders of the arrests, issued on January 31, have already 
been given to the concerned people and they should file the petition 
against these orders. 
"They should have been filed the petition within the prescribed 
time limit against the arrest orders under security Act of Pakistan 
and the petition is ineffective as they knew the whole position of the
case," he argued. 
Attorney General Makhdoom Ali contended that the hearing of the 
writ petitions is beyond the jurisdiction of the court and arrested 
scientists can`t be produced in the court according to the serious 
nature of allegations against them as they were taken into custody 
under the security act of Pakistan. 
He said that scientist Nasimuddin was responsible for maintaining 
secrecy of nuclear codes, material, machinery, nuclear documents, 
drawing plan, maps and samples whereas he was found involved in 
nuclear proliferation and anti-state activities. He was involved in 
nuclear proliferation directly or indirectly and his arrest was 
essential to probe the issue. 
The Attorney General said that security men Brig (Retd) Sajawal 
Khan and Brig (Retd) Tajor had also linked with nuclear program and 
had connections with the nuclear scientists and engineers. 
He said that the scientists and security men have formally been 
arrested and charged under security act of 1952. 
A large number of family members of nuclear scientists were 
present during the hearing. 
TK/TSH/214 
End