KRL’s retired chief scientist appeals govt for removal of name from ECL
Zubair Qureshi Islamabad
A former Director General/Chief Scientist of the Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) Dr Nazeer Ahmad who worked with the eminent nuclear scientist (late) Dr AQ Khan with utmost commitment and dedication has appealed to the government to remove his name from the Exit Control List (ECL) as he has been facing the travel restriction for the last 18 years.
Dr Nazeer Ahmad (SI) retired on January 6, 2007 as Chief Scientist has in a letter drawn the attention of the media and the new government of Shehbaz Sharif towards the fact that he had made numerous requests to the Ministry of Interior to remove his name which was put on the ECL in January 2004 during the infamous debriefings of Dr AQ Khan and some of his colleagues.
As of today, a period of 15 years has passed since my retirement but the most painful part of the episode is that my name that was placed on ECL in 2004 continues to be there, said Dr Nazeer in his letter. It may be argued, said the worthy scientist, that during the course of investigation it was deemed necessary or advisable that his name might be placed on the ECL to ensure his availability for questioning.
“Dr Khan was pardoned in 2005 and all security hearings were terminated by the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee in November 2008,” said the former close associate of Dr AQ Khan and after the death of Dr AQ Khan and the official pardon granted by the government of the day, the case is almost closed and has become history.
“Since no inquiry or questioning is presently going on with me, it, therefore seems illogical to retain my name on the ECL for the last 18 years,” said DrNazeer in his correspondence calling upon the government of Shehbaz Sharif that he may be allowed to live as a free citizen. “I should now be released from this restriction and allowed to live as a free citizen which is my fundamental right as enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan.” gued that since the said officer had been exposed to sensitive information during the course of his service, it may not be safe for him to travel/visit abroad.
If this reason is accepted then the Chairman, Members, Director General and other senior officials both retired and serving of the KRL, PAEC, SUPARCO, GHQ, SPD, ISI, NESCOM, etc are exposed to highly sensitive information and they should also be placed on ECL, stated the letter.
DrNazeer stated that his daughters and their families are permanently settled in the UK and there came many occasions like PhD degree-awarding Convocation of two daughters, family reunion and festivals, when they required their father (DrNazeer) to be there with them but he could not make it due to the fact his name was illogically placed on the ECL.
DrNazeer did his PhD from University of Birmingham in June 1979 and then moved to the US. It was on the request of Dr AQ Khan that he quit his job in the US and joined the KRL in September 1983. In recognition of his outstanding accomplishment and services DrNazeer Ahmad was conferred the prestigious civil award Sitara-i-Imtiaz (SI).
In the end, DrNazeer Ahmed said it was pity that only he and a few others have been singled out and their names were placed on the ECL on the basis of unrealistic grounds for the last 18 years. It is requested to the Prime Minister that in view of his long and dedicated services to the KRL and also advanced age, the government should release him from the agonizing situation by removing his name from the ECL.
