By Shahid Malik BBC Reporter in Lahore

The government in Pakistan has been given more time to produce an orthopedic surgeon, Dr Aamir Aziz, who was detained on suspicion of having links with the Taleban.

It sounds unbelievable the government is not aware of Aziz's whereabouts and this court has a moral authority to act

Judge Tassaduq Hussain Jilani

High court judge Tassaduq Hussain Jilani in Lahore accepted the state's request that the hearing be adjourned because a response on his whereabouts had not yet been received from the military intelligence agency, the ISI.

The court was due to hear two petitions challenging the undeclared detention, including one from Dr Aziz's mother.

These petitions will now be heard on Tuesday.

Dr Aziz's family and friends say that the doctor was taken away by Pakistani officials working with US agents.

Doubts

Three days ago, Judge Jilani had expressed his scepticism about the contents of a report submitted on behalf of the Interior Ministry, which said that Dr Aziz was not being held by any organisation working under the ministry.

"It sounds unbelievable the government is not aware of Aziz's whereabouts and this court has a moral authority to act", Judge Hussain was quoted as saying by AFP news agency on Friday.

His family say he was helping Afghans

The state counsel - Deputy Attorney General Danishwar Malik - agreed that the government would make inquiries to ascertain whether he was in the custody of the powerful ISI.

The status and role of the intelligence services in Pakistan has long been a subject of legal debate.

The Deputy Attorney General requested an adjournment, which was granted, because the lawyers for the petitioners did not raise an objection.

Dr Aziz visited Afghanistan during Taleban rule.

But his family say he went to rebuild a medical college and had no links with the Taleban themselves.