Pakistan debriefs nuclear father over possible links with proliferation

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, December 24, 2003

Pakistan debriefs nuclear father over possible links with proliferation

Pakistan Tuesday acknowledged that Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, father of the country's nuclear bomb, is being debriefed about possible links with transferring of sensitive nuclear technologies to Iran.

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Pakistan Tuesday acknowledged that Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, father of the country's nuclear bomb, is being debriefed about possible links with transferring of sensitive nuclear technologies to Iran.

At a weekly news briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Masood Khan said Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan is being questioned in connection with "debriefings" of several scientists working at his Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), a world famous nuclear laboratory.

"Questions have been raised with him in relation to the ongoingdebriefing sessions," said the spokesman, stressing that the debriefings are an internal exercise and no foreign agency is involved.

He noted the investigation is continuing and the government will take action against any individual if regulations concerned are violated.

The spokesman denied that Pakistan, which carried out nuclear tests successfully in 1998, is involved in any proliferation, saying it is a responsible nuclear state and it has never proliferated and will never proliferate sensitive nuclear technologies or information to any other country.

"The Pakistani government will take its responsibility as a nuclear state very seriously and fulfill its international commitments," the spokesman said, adding the country has very stringent control of its nuclear assets.

A report of The Washington Post published Sunday claimed that Iran in its documents provided to the UN nuclear inspectors last month has not directly identified Pakistan as a supplier, but Pakistani individuals and companies are strongly implicated as sources of key blueprints, technical guidance and equipment for a pilot uranium-enrichment plant in Iran.

The debriefing sessions began early this month after the Iranian government and the International Atomic Energy Agency sentrelated information to the Pakistani government. Two officials of the KRL were picked up and questioned early this month.

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