Pakistan Releases 'father' of Nuclear Bomb From House Arrest

The Pakistani nuclear scientist at the center of the world's largest proliferation scandal has been freed from five years of house arrest by a court in Islamabad.

Abdul Qadeer Khan, lionised as the "father" of Pakistan's atomic bomb, confessed in 2004 to selling nuclear secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya. He was immediately pardoned but detained in his home.

Since then Khan has retracted his tearful, televised confession. Speaking outside his house today after the high court ruling, Khan said: "It's a matter of joy. The judgment, by the grace of Allah, is good. It is because of this judgment that I am speaking to you."

Khan's lawyer said the high court had now declared him a free citizen. "The court has said as he was not involved in nuclear proliferation or criminal activity, there is no case against him, therefore, he is a free citizen," Ali Zafar said.

It was not immediately clear whether the security agencies would lift all restrictions on the movements of the 72-year-old metallurgist who has been treated for prostate cancer.

His confinement had been progressively relaxed over the past year as he was allowed to meet friends and give selective interviews. He traveled to Karachi at least once under tight security.

Last year a United Nations nuclear watchdog said Khan's network smuggled nuclear blueprints to Iran, Libya and North Korea and was active in 12 countries. Last month, the US state department imposed sanctions on 13 individuals – two of them British – and three private companies because of their involvement in Khan's network.

Pakistan has prevented foreign investigators from questioning Khan, insisting it has passed on all relevant information about nuclear proliferation.

Khan said he had no need to answer to any foreign government. "I will always be proud about what I did for Pakistan," he told reporters. "I am obliged to answer only to my government not to any foreigners," he said.