Nuclear secret leakers must be punished: Pakistani minister

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, January 23, 2004

Nuclear secret leakers must be punished: Pakistani minister

While justifying debriefing sessions of nuclear scientists Thursday, a Pakistani official said those who have violated the secret act of the country must be brought to justice.

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While justifying debriefing sessions of nuclear scientists Thursday, a Pakistani official said those who have violated the secret act of the country must be brought to justice.

Talking to reporters, Interior Minister Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayyat said those who have violated the National Secret Act and shared nuclear knowledge with rouge states should be facing court of law.

He said that the nuclear program or the strategic assets of thecountry are the national belongings and no individual could claim these assets as his or her personal property. No body can even monopolize these national assets.

"Every Pakistani acknowledges and respects all the nuclear scientists and officials. But it does not mean that anybody has got a license to leak the technology of these assets with anybody abroad," the minister said.

He said that Pakistan believes in nuclear non-proliferation, but "esteem of Pakistan has been put on stake on just personal greed."

"We are a responsible state and nation and our nuclear arms program is only for our national defense without the element of aggression," he said.

The minister said that the process of debriefing continues, "the stage of trails could be undertaken if any one is found guiltyduring these sessions."

The minister declined to comment on the results of the debriefing sessions so far, and said that anybody related to the country's strategic assets could be call for debriefing sessions if it is necessary.

Five nuclear scientists and senior officials of Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) were picked up last Saturday night for questioning amid the ongoing probe into allegations of transferring of nuclear technology to other countries.

Last month, four nuclear scientists of KRL were detained after Iran indicated that some Pakistanis helped them in carrying out the country's nuclear program.

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