I'm certainly surprised. I thought he'd go in a helicopter crash...
Pakistan’s top scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, involved in clandestine nuclear sales to "rogue states", has reportedly suffered a heart attack. "Dr Khan is under treatment at his residence and his condition is stated to be critical," a local daily quoted officials of the of the hospital of the country’s premier nuclear installation, Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) formerly headed by Khan, as saying. Khan had been suffering from pain in his left hand since he was questioned by intelligence agencies for the past few months for his alleged involvement in transferring nuclear technology, Dawn said. The newspaper said Khan had never suffered from cardiac complaint before the incident, but he often felt pain in his left hand whenever he took extra burden and pressure of official work. The newspaper also quoted some family members of the other KRL nuclear scientists and officials as saying that the condition of Khan and his Dutch wife Hamdarina was "bad". "Both of them are suffering from high blood pressure and they have been given potency doses by the doctors of the KRL hospital," it said.
| Under normal circumstances, heart attacks aren't contagious... |
The newspaper also said Pakistan’s Defence spokesman Major General Shoukar Sultan and Senior Director of KRL hospital, Ali Raza Kazmi refused to comment on the condition of Khan.
More, from Jang...
The disgraced architect of Pakistan's nuclear programme Abdul Qadeer Khan is suffering from acute hypertension, high blood pressure, depression and sleeplessness, his doctor said Monday.
| "We expect him to depart the gene pool without warning any time now..." |
Speaking amid reports Khan had suffered a heart attack, Dr. Shafiqur Rehman told he last visited the scientist at his residence in the last week of January when he found him in "poor health."
| "We expect it to deteriorate further as soon as we get that video tape back from his daughter..." |
"He has a history of hypertension and I had been visiting him regularly until I was stopped by the authorities on February 4 after the last visit," the doctor said. Since then authorities have imposed strict restrictions on his movement and tightened security around his residence in Islamabad. Rehman said he was unaware whether Khan had suffered a heart attack, as reported by the leading Pakistani English newspaper Dawn on Monday.
| "Though I expect he will, just as soon as they get that tape..." |
The report, which was promptly denied by the government, quoted sources at the Khan Research Laboratories hospital as saying that a heart specialist and a cardiac machine were secretly sent to Khan's house on February 8. The report said Khan has "suffered a heart attack" and his condition was "stated to be critical" when he was treated. Pakistan's foreign ministry termed the report baseless saying Khan was in good health.
| "Pooh and pooh. There's no reason to make the video public at this time..." |
"This is fabrication. He is in good health and the report that he suffered heart attack is baseless," foreign ministry spokesman Masood Khan told. Dr. Rehman said he had learnt that a nurse was attending to Khan at his home but no doctor had been sent there. "Last week I asked the authorities to allow me to check up Khan in the presence of a magistrate but my request was refused." he said. |