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A.Q. Khan has cancer

Nirupama Subramanian

Islamabad: A.Q. Khan, nuclear scientist who is under house arrest for his role in proliferation, is suffering from prostate cancer, Pakistan announced on Tuesday. The Government issued a press release with all details of the diagnosis for Mr. Khan, who is revered in Pakistan as the father of the country's nuclear bomb. "Since the state of health of Dr. A.Q. Khan is of public interest, the Government of Pakistan would like to hold out an assurance that the best specialist medical care is being provided to Dr. A.Q. Khan in consultation with his family and personal doctors. The public will be kept informed whenever necessary," the release stated. Mr. Khan has been in "protective custody" since January 2004, when the U.S. levelled charges of nuclear proliferation against him. Pakistan has assured Pakistanis it will not hand him over to the U.S for interrogation.

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