Islamabad, Dec 21: Four of the nine persons from a Pakistani doctor's family, arrested for suspected links with al Qaeda and Taliban, have been released while others are being interrogated. The freed four included a 70-year-old man, two students and a child, while the remaining five were being questioned by police, Chief Minister of Punjab province, Pervez Elahi, said. Dr Ahmad Nadeem Khwaja, a US trained gatsroentrologist and eight of his family members were arrested on Thursday in a joint operation by Pakistani police and American FBI agents in Lahore.
The release of the four family members of Dr Khwaja followed demonstration by doctors and activists of hard-line Islamic alliance Mutthida Majlis-e-Amal,(MMA). Dr Aziz Amir, another Pakistani doctor from Lahore who was arrested for same reasons last month and released subsequently, also took part in the demonstration. The FBI was informed that the doctor remained in touch with Taliban after September 11 terrorist attacks on the us, local daily 'The News' said.

Bureau Report