ISLAMABAD, March 16: The government told the National Assembly on Tuesday that Pakistan had come out 'clear' from the nuclear proliferation scandal and there was no question of rolling back its nuclear programme.

Responding to a call-attention notice from five PPP members during the morning sitting on a private members' day, Information Minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmed denied reports that IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) experts could inspect the country's nuclear programme.

An evening sitting of the house was devoted to the continuing debate on President Pervez Musharraf's Jan 17 address to parliament with opposition members criticizing and the treasury benches defending his policies.

The information minister said Pakistan's nuclear assets were in safe hands, a command and control system was in place to ensure their safety and security, and that "no person can even think of compromising on the country's nuclear programme".

"Our hands are clean," he said about fears of future dangers to the nuclear programme voiced by opposition members. He said there was no use of repeated discussions on the issue. "The problem has been solved and we have come out (of the problem) safely."

Answering questions put by the sponsors of the notice, Syed Naveed Qamar, Sherry Rehman, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Syed Khurshid Shah and Pir Aftab Shah Jilani, the minister said no power could cause a threat to Pakistan's nuclear programme as the whole nation and all political parties were united on the issue.

Referring to US Secretary of State Colin Powell's visit to Pakistan on March 17-18, he said being a sovereign and independent country Pakistan knew how to defend its rights. The country's stand on the Non-Proliferation Treaty was very clear and "it doesn't matter who is visiting the country," he said without elaborating.

Mr Ahmed said Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan would continue to be a national hero though he had committed some 'mistakes' like any other human being. He said a thorough inquiry into the alleged sale of nuclear technology to Libya, Iran and North Korea, during which two former army chiefs Mirza Aslam Beg and Jehangir Karamat were also questioned, had found no one guilty except a few scientists.

He rejected an opposition demand for convening an in-camera session of parliament to debate the nuclear issue. Two amendments to the rules of procedure proposed by PML-Q member M.P. Bhandara to curtail a frequent recourse to raising points of order and adjournments of the house due to lack of quorum were referred by Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain for further consideration to a house committee, which is yet to be constituted.

A motion moved by Mr Naveed Qamar of the PPP, seeking an amendment to the rules of procedures requiring the preparation of a whole year's business calendar for the National Assembly before the start of the parliamentary year, was deferred by chairperson Noorjehan Panezai to the next private members' day after a lengthy debate.

Both Mr Bhandara's and Mr Naveed Qamar's motions were supported by various members from the opposition and treasury benches. But the minister of state for parliamentary affairs, Mohammad Raza Hayat Hiraj, said he had some reservations over the wording of the amendment sought by Mr Naveed Qamar and asked the chair to defer the matter to the next private members' day.

A furore caused by desk-thumping and slogans by the opposition members to protest against her ruling was cut short by Ms Panezai by adjourning the house until the evening.

Prominent among those who took part in the debate on Gen Musharraf's speech were MMA's Farid Ahmed Piracha and Dr Farida, PML-N's Krishan Bheel, PPP's Sher Mohammad Baloch and Chaudhry Wasi Zafar of the PML-Q.