By Shahid Malik BBC reporter in Lahore

A judge in Pakistan has intervened in the case of one of the country's top doctors, allegedly taken away by intelligence officials for suspected links with the Taleban.

After a brief hearing on Friday in the city of Lahore, high court judge Tasadduq Hussain Jilani stopped any plans for the possible extradition of orthopaedic surgeon Aamir Aziz.

The judge also asked for the government's written response to two petitions challenging Dr Aziz's detention.

The court also heard statements on behalf of Islamabad's Ministry of Interior and the Punjab Home Department, saying they did not know where Dr Aziz was.

His family and friends say he was taken away by Pakistani officials working with US agents.

Fear over extradition

Addressing the court, the lawyer for his mother, Zakiya Aziz, who is one of the two petitioners to have challenged the detention, suggested the government was intentionally withholding information about the detained surgeon.

His family said he wanted to help Afghan hospitals

Mrs Aziz brought the petition to court due to fears her son may be extradited to the US because they regard him as a suspect.

In his order at the end of the Friday's hearing Justice Jilani said the court would not like to comment on the merits of the plea regarding the whereabouts of the detained surgeon.

However, by implication he upheld the argument of Mrs Aziz's lawyer and asked the relevant government departments to provide, within four days, information on who has detained him.

FBI links

He also said they should explain on what grounds and under what law he was being held.

Two weeks ago, newspaper reports suggested that FBI agents had taken Dr Aziz into custody for his alleged links with the Afghan Taleban.

But this was followed by a clarification from Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider, who said the detained surgeon was being questioned by Pakistani agencies.

The statements made in the court on behalf of senior government officials on Friday clearly conflict with the official version.

The focus now will be on the written response, to be put before the judge on or before 12 November, which is the next date of hearing.