World reassured by steps over AQ Khan: Pak

Pakistan on Tuesday claimed that the world community has been "reassured" by steps taken by it to address their "anguish and concern" after a court order ended the house arrest of disgraced nuclear scientist AQ Khan.

The Islamabad High Court's ruling on Khan had caused "anguish and concern" among the global community and world leaders had discussed the matter with him when he attended a security conference in Munich last week, Foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said.

The details of the matter had been shared with the world community, which had been "reassured" by Pakistan's stand, he told reporters. Information minister Sherry Rehman, who was also present, said Khan's case was a "closed chapter".

The comments came as media reports said the Pakistan government has imposed fresh restrictions on Khan after the world community expressed concerns over the court order.

Khan was put under house arrest in February 2004 after he confessed on state-run television to running a proliferation network that provided nuclear secrets to Iran, Libya and North Korea.

Sources close to Khan told the Dawn that a few people met the scientist after court declared him a "free citizen" on Friday but no one was allowed to enter his house on Monday.

An unnamed Pakistani official told the New York Times that president Asif Ali Zardari had assured the US that Khan "is still restricted in his movement and activities". He will
be barred from "foreign travel" and "making financial transactions", the official said.