Access to Dr. AQ Khan

NEWS ANALYSIS
According to a credible source, a persona non-grata was able to interview Dr. A Q Khan recently and hence the change in security measures (for details see the news item below). Another "well connected" Pakistani journalist interviewed in this connection maintains that the inside rumor goes like this: President Musharraf has agreed to allow some officials from the US to interview Dr. Khan directly but with the condition that nothing will be taped or "on the record" and hence this new security measure. I personally doubt if the later report/rumor is correct but one can't rule out anything. Musharraf is under increasing pressure (domestic due to Baluchistan insurgency and religious extremist groups), regionally (because of lack of response from India on Musharraf's Kashmir resolution proposals) and internationally (due to recent change of tone from the US side - supporting complete revival of democracy through transparent and fair elections in 2007) and hence allowing Dr. AQ Khan to talk to the US investigators can be a way to cool down things. (Caution: pure speculation - atleast some part of it!)

Daily Times, April 20, 2006
Scanning machine installed at AQ Khan’s houseBy Maryam Hussain

ISLAMABAD: An explosives scanning machine has been installed in the residence of Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan that his family must pass through every time they leave or enter the house.

The unannounced fresh restrictions on the disgraced nuclear scientist and his family have stressed the entire household, a family friend told Daily Times. The source said even Dr AQ Khan’s wife was required to pass through the scanning machine.

The top level source also said that Aysha Khan, Dr Khan’s youngest daughter, had been stopped from visiting her detained father without explanation. Aysha runs a private school in Islamabad. Her husband, Saad Khan, was imprisoned in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi for several days some months ago after he beat up a British diplomat. He and his family have been put on a visa blacklist by Western embassies since the quarrel.

Dr AQ Khan’s eldest daughter, Dina Khan, left Pakistan shortly after her father was put under house arrest, allegedly with some “important documents”. Dina’s 13-year-old daughter Tania is still staying with Dr AQ Khan at his house.