ISI nixes AQ Khan's 'joining politics' dreams

Islamabad, June 8 (ANI): Disgraced Pakistani nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan has again retracted his statement saying he is unlikely to join any political party or enter active politics, due to pressure by intelligence agencies asking him to refrain from doing so.

"I'm not going to join any political party," The Express Tribune quoted Dr Khan, as saying.

According to earlier reports, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan had offered Dr Khan membership to the party.

Close associates of Dr Khan maintain that the scientist is under pressure by intelligence agencies to refrain from making any political foray.

"He has been advised not to join politics or any political party," said a senior PTI official.

"We sincerely wanted to welcome Dr AQ Khan to pursue real politics and change Pakistan's fate. But due to some sort of strict advice by the agencies, he is unable to join our party," said a PTI leader.

A senior official said Dr Khan was formally prepared to announce his political affiliation with either the PTI or the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on June 6. He could not do so, however, for reasons better known to himself and his family, the official added.

PML-N leader Pervez Rashid, however, did not confirm the recent development. (ANI)