The Obama administration on Friday voiced its deep concern over the release of a Pakistani scientist accused of nuclear proliferation.
"I am very much concerned and will have more to say about that, " Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters, after her meeting with Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in Washington.
Earlier on Friday, a Pakistani court declared the lift of restrictions on Abdul Qadeer Khan, known to the world as A. Q. Khan and was considered as the founder of Pakistan's nuclear program.
The 72-year-old scientist has been effectively under house arrest in Islamabad since February 2004, when he confessed on television that he had been involved in proliferation of nuclear technology from Pakistan to other countries.
"It would be unfortunate if the court released him. We believe A. Q. Khan remains a serious proliferation risk," said State Department deputy spokesman Gordon Duguid, adding that the United States is trying to confirm Khan's status.
"The proliferation support that Khan and his associates provided to Iran and North Korea has had a harmful impact on the international security and will for years to come," Duguid said.
In mid January, the Bush administration imposed sanctions on 13 people and three private companies involved in nuclear proliferation led by Khan, saying the sanctions "will help prevent future proliferation-related activities."
"The sanctions were announced to target the A.Q. Khan network, . .. That should have no effect or influence on whether or not Mr. Khan is let out of his current status of detention," Duguid said, when asked whether the sanction would be invalid following Khan's release.