US seeks assurances on Dr. Qadeer’s activities

WASHINGTON: The United States would like assurances that freed Pakistani scientist Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan is no longer involved in nuclear proliferation, the White House said Friday. "Obviously we've seen the reports of the release, but have not received official word from the government," spokesman Robert Gibbs said. "And as we hear from the government about these reports, obviously the president and this government want assurances that Dr. Khan is not involved or engaged in any of the activity that resulted in his house arrest earlier." A Pakistani court Friday declared Khan a free man, five years after he was effectively put under house arrest for allegedly operating a proliferation network sending nuclear secrets to Iran, Libya and North Korea.