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Detained Pak. doctor released

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD NOV. 19. One of Pakistan's top doctors, detained by intelligence agencies for his alleged links with the Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, has been released after almost a month after the Lahore High Court took strong exception to his arrest and demanded his production.

The family of Aamir Aziz told reporters in Lahore that he had arrived home before dawn and had not been charged with any offence. Dr. Aziz's brother said, "his eyes are red and swollen due to sleepless nights.''

Last Friday, for the third time in less than a week, the Musharraf Government faced an embarrassing situation as the Interior Ministry failed to produce Dr. Aziz, despite specific directives by the Lahore High Court.

The Court had set Tuesday as the fresh deadline to the Government to produce Dr. Aziz who was picked up on October 21. Strangely, for the second time on Friday, the Interior Ministry informed the Court that Dr. Aziz's "whereabouts were still known.'' Today the Government counsel conveyed to the Court that the doctor is back home.

The Lahore High Court intervened in the matter on a petition filed by a member of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz).

In a related development, the Lahore High Court, which has ordered the release of the founder of the banned militant outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba, Hafeez Saeed, has sought a report on the detention of the banned Jaish-e-Mohammad chief, Masood Azhar.

Maulana Masood Azhar was one of the three militants freed by India to end the Kandahar hijacking of an Indian Airlines aircraft in 1999.

Both Hafeez and Azhar have been named as prime suspects in the attack on Indian Parliament in December last year.

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