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K J M Varma in Islamabad
Pakistan on Tuesday denied reports that three of its retired nuclear scientists have been handed over to US officials to probe their alleged links with the Taleban and Osama Bin Laden.
Major General Rashid Qureshi, spokesman for President Pervez Musharraf, told reporters that one of three, Dr Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood, has been admitted to a hospital as he was not well.
General Qureshi was reacting to reports in The Pakistan Observer that the government has handed over three retired nuclear scientists -- Dr Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood, Ch Abdul Majeed and Mirza Yousaf -- to US authorities for investigations.
"There were questions that need to be asked and those have been asked. It is an absolutely incorrect and false report that Mahmood has been handed over to US authorities or to anyone else. He has not been handed over and the process of questioning is continuing," Qureshi said.
"Presently he (Mahmood) is not under arrest. To the best of my knowledge, he is not well and I think he has been admitted to a hospital," he said.
However, he did not say anything about the whereabouts of Mehmood's two colleagues.
He also said that the three scientists were not questioned in connection with attempts to develop nuclear weapons for bin Laden.
"I want to clarify that neither of them had anything to do with (Pakistan's) weapons programme, if that satisfies you," Qureshi said.
PTI
Pak hands over 3 retired nuke scientist to the US
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