ISLAMABAD, Sept 26: The government on Wednesday rejected a proposal to let the UN question nuclear scientist A.Q. Khan.

Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto said on Tuesday that, if she returned to office, she would give the UN’s nuclear watchdog direct access to Dr Khan.

The foreign ministry said on Wednesday that Pakistani authorities had fully investigated Dr Khan’s network and shared the results with the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency.

“In case there is new information, in case there is something else that needs to be looked into, we would conduct investigations and we will provide information to the IAEA,” foreign ministry spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said. “That will remain Pakistan’s position.”

Ms Aslam said other countries had failed to match Pakistan’s efforts to prevent proliferation, for instance by clamping down on western companies involved in smuggling.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Senator Tariq Azeem condemned Ms Bhutto’s statement. He said the government would never compromise on national interest.

Talking to PTV, he said that no international power would be allowed to interfere in the country’s atomic programme.—Agencies