Dr Khan suffers heart attack

Karachi Dawn Web Site ^ | 02/16/2004 | Our Staff Reporter

[SubMareener]

ISLAMABAD, Feb 15: The founder of country's nuclear programme, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, has suffered a heart attack, sources in the KRL hospital told Dawn on Sunday.

In view of his poor cardiac condition, a heart specialist along with a cardiac machine was secretly sent to his residence from the KRL hospital last Sunday, the sources said.

They said Dr Khan had been suffering from pain in his left hand since being questioned by an intelligence agency for his alleged involvement in transferring nuclear technology.

The sources said Dr Khan was under treatment at his residence and his condition was stated to be critical. Dr Khan, they said, had never suffered from cardiac complaint before this incident, but he often felt pain in his left hand whenever he took extra burden and pressure of official work.

"Dr Khan was holding his left hand when he was shown the last time on television after his meeting with President Gen Pervez Musharraf," the sources said.

The source said the KRL founder had been placed in what they said either "protective custody or house arrest" since December and that he had been asked to avoid appearing at public places and functions.

Dr Khan has also been prohibited from attending telephone calls and giving any statement to the press. Meanwhile, family members of some detained KRL officials told Dawn that the condition of Dr Khan and his wife was quite bad. "Both of them are suffering from high blood pressure and they have been given high potency doses by the doctors of the KRL hospital, they said. Talking to Dawn, Director General ISPR Maj Gen Shaukat Sultan said: "I have no information that Dr Khan is in a serious condition."

Responding to a question about 'debriefing', he said no other official of the KRL had been called for this purpose nor any detained official had been released in the recent past.

When contacted, a senior director of the hospital, Dr Ali Raza Kazmi, refused to comment on the issue saying that he had no information that a cardiologist and a cardiac machine had been sent to the residence of Dr Khan from the hospital.

[Cap Huff]

Boker tov!

I've noticed that all of the Dems have been uncharacteristically quiet. I think they know that this story is radioactive in more ways than one.

[billybudd]

It's alleged if the circumstances under which he "confessed" are as shady as they are. He clearly cut a deal with Musharraf to take responsibility and thus absolve the government of an embarrassing situation. Perhaps they've now decided he's to big a liability and maybe he will catch a "heart attack" to the left temple one of these days.

[Boot Hill]

--Boot Hill (appropriately)

[Wilhelm Tell]

A civil war in Pakistan is a frightening possibility. The place is a powderkeg. What if some crazies take advantage of the chaos and launch a nuclear attack against Israel or India?

[Cap Huff]

I have a feeling that's been a potential problem that has already been dealt with.

http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/02/09/wpak109.xml

Nevertheless, a civil war, or a coup by the Taliban/al-Qaeda supporters would still be a disaster.

[Cap Huff]

Somebody may be getting cold feet:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_574426,0000.htm


AQ Khan ailing, but officials deny heart attack 'rumours'
Associated Press
Islamabad, February 16

Senior Pakistani officials on Monday denied as rumours that country's top nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan suffered a heart attack, but admitted that Khan is in "very bad" health and seeking medical attention.

Abdul Qadeer Khan, the 68-year-old father of the country's nuclear programme -- now under house arrest after admitting he leaked weapons technology to Iran, Libya and North Korea -- was visited by a senior cardiologist at his home on Sunday, said Hussam ul-Haq, the head of a committee seeking Khan's release.

"His health is very bad. He is not in good shape," ul-Haq said. Two senior government officials, however, denied rumours that the scientist had suffered a heart attack.

"It is absolutely wrong," army spokesman Major General Shaukut Sultan said. "He was taken to a hospital for a routine checkup."

Pakistan Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said Khan was "fine" and also denied he had suffered a heart attack.

[Finalapproach29er]

CIA specialty? Tin foil anyone?

[OldFriend]

LOLOL......he's being Fosterized.

[mass55th]

I feel for him but I can't reach him.

[mass55th]

"He might be about to commit ArKHANcide...."

ROFL!!! Good one!

[Jim Cane]

"Kaaaaaahn!"

[section9]

Dead men tell no tales...

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[mvonfr]

A civil war in Pakistan is a frightening possibility. The place is a powderkeg. What if some crazies take advantage of the chaos and launch a nuclear attack against Israel or India?

Exactly. And you don't even need "some crazies": the place if full of AQ-connected people; many are in ISI. A nuclear attack as you describe is consistent with AQ strategy of trying to start a large scale war.

[freeangel]

I think he and his family should be made available as "shields" in countries that are likely to be nuked at the first sign of trouble if he lives through this.

[7.62 x 51mm]

Musharaf's days are very much numbered already. The radical Muzzies in the ISI and elsewhere will get him sooner, rather than later, IMO. I just hope we know where the nukes are and have enough boots on the ground to get them out before they get snatched and given to terrorists.

[swarthyguy]

Pakistan, The Heart of Darkness. Some muckymuck was on TV talking about the sources of funding that Pak had to develop it's jihadi nukes. Can we hope that some real stinky dirt on the Saudis is going to be coming out. It can't be hidden much longer, can it?

This will not be a quiet election year.

Spring Offensives are due all around; in Irak, Afgha, Pak, by both sides, or more as the case may be.