Allah has punished Musharraf : AQ Khan

Disgraced nuclear scientist AQ Khan, declared a free man by a court here five years after he was put under house arrest, said that Pakistan's military is capable of tackling any threats, including any from India.

"The government is strong and the armed forces can tackle everyone," he said outside his heavily-guarded home while interacting with the media for the first time after the restrictions imposed on him were eased.

Khan stated this when asked if he had any advice for coping with possible threats from India in the wake of the Mumbai attacks.However, he said "there is no threat, nothing like that has happened."

The scientist, who spoke to the media shortly after TV channels reported that he had reached a secret out-of-court settlement with the government, said he had no plans to associate himself again with Pakistan's nuclear programme.

He said he would dedicate himself to educational activities, including starting new institutions and advising people in the sector.

To a question on international institutions wanting to quiz him in connection with nuclear proliferation, Khan said: "Nonsense, no comments. I am not obliged to give answers to anybody else. I am obliged only to answer to my government, not to any foreigner or anybody." 

Khan emerged from his home to speak to the media for the first time in nearly five years after the Islamabad High Court said his detention did not amount to "arrest or imprisonment".

TV channels reported that the judgement was issued after the government presented a secret order on the deal struck with the scientist.

Khan's lawyer Ali Zafar said that the High Court's judgement said Khan is a "free citizen of Pakistan" with the freedom of movement and other rights.

Zafar said the order was issued as Khan was not involved in nuclear proliferation or any criminal activity and there was no case against him.

Khan evaded all questions from reporters on whether the government had removed all restrictions on him and whether he had received a written order in this regard.

Asked if the authorities had removed restrictions on him, he replied: "It seems like that or else how could you (journalists) have come here? You would have been chased away otherwise."

There had been a strict bar on people meeting Khan since he was put under house arrest in February 2004 after he spoke on state-run PTV about running a proliferation ring that supplied nuclear equipment and know-how to countries like Libya and North Korea. Khan retracted the confession last year, saying it was made under pressure.

Khan told the media persons that he did not "want to talk about the past" and was not concerned about his security.

"I was secure before, I am secure now. I was travelling all over the world when I was making the bomb and nobody could hurt me. Now I have been away from my project for the last eight years. Nobody would like to hurt me," he said, adding the government had informed him that he would be given the same level of security as before.

Asked if he had fears about Pakistan's nuclear programme falling into the wrong hands, he said: "I don't think so."

He also said he had no plans to enter politics. "We are scientists, why should we enter into politics? That is for the feudal lords, for the politicians."

Khan also said he would not sue anyone or seek compensation for his detention for the past five years. He pointed out that both president Asif Ali Zardari and opposition PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif had not sued anyone for being imprisoned and sent into exile.

Replying to a question on whether he would take action against former president Pervez Musharraf, who had ordered his detention, Khan said: "Allah has punished him. He can't even appear in public like I can. I challenge him to go with me (to) Aabpara (market in Islamabad) or Raja Bazar (in Rawalpindi), and I may have to give him my shirt for his protection."