ISLAMABAD, Dec 23: Pakistani authorities here on Tuesday disclosed that several weeks of in-house investigations held in the country’s nuclear programme indicated that “some individuals might have been motivated by personal ambitions or greed” to transact nuclear proliferation against the law.

A foreign office spokesman at his press briefing, held a day later than the usual Monday, was replying to a plethora of questions from reporters about the recent sensational press reports relating to leakage of nuclear technology and arrest of several senior nuclear scientists.

The spokesman, Masud Khan, observed that the in-house debriefings and investigations, which had been under way for about five to six weeks, had not made “any final determination” yet against the suspect scientists.

He said if any individual was found involved in transfer of sorts, action will be taken against him. “Nobody is above the law,” he declared.

Masud Khan told a questioner that investigations against the scientists were initiated after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the government of Iran provided “the information which was here with us, (and) pointed to certain individuals and we have been holding debriefing sessions.”

But he discounted press reports about the alleged association of FBI with these investigations, saying no foreigner or foreign agency was associated.

Asked if Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan was also quizzed during the ongoing investigations, the spokesman said: “The factual situation is that questions have been asked from Dr A.Q. Khan, although he did not undergo debriefing.”

At the outset, the FO spokesman made this statement: “The government of Pakistan has never proliferated and it will never proliferate. Pakistan takes its responsibilities as a nuclear weapon state very seriously. We are a responsible country and we understand our obligations. We fulfil our commitments and obligations.”

He added: “The government of Pakistan has not authorized or initiated any transfer of nuclear technology or information to any other country. It is out of the question.”

The FO spokesman went on to reiterate that “Pakistan has a very strong command and control system and very stringent export control regime. There should be no doubt about that. (The) president of Pakistan has given 400 per cent assurance and commitment that no violation or infraction of Pakistan’s commitments would ever take place.”

He added: “Pakistan is a responsible state. We want to get to the bottom of the matter. If there are any individuals who are found involved in transfer of any sort, action would be taken against them. Nobody is above the law, let me reiterate, nobody is above the law.”

Mr Khan said that investigations were continuing. “We are collecting data and information. When this process is complete, we will take action against individuals if found culpable.”

But he stressed that there should be no pre-judgment.

During the inspection of its nuclear facilities by the IAEA, the Iranian government pointed to certain international intermediaries and black marketeers, who provided top-secret designs and key components for uranium processing machines known as gas centrifuges.

China and Russia, according to foreign reports, also made significant contributions to the Iranian nuclear programmes in the past and both countries were forced to cut off assistance to Iran.

Officials here asked why the focus was on Pakistan alone when individuals from other countries of Asia, Europe and North America had also been named. Pakistan, the officials maintained, should not be singled out.

When an Indian journalist asked for comment on a reported statement by Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee saying that he did not foresee a possibility of substantive talks on Kashmir in Islamabad on the sidelines of Saarc summit, as long as militancy from across the LoC continued, the spokesman said India should have ceased repression in the Indian occupied Kashmir for peace to prevail which would improve the atmosphere for bilateral engagement. Pakistan had unilaterally declared ceasefire along the LoC last month.

While responding to a question about the president’s recent observations concerning Kashmir, the spokesman clarified that what the president said was that if “we want to move forward” will have to show flexibility. He added that flexibility has to be a two-way street.

The president had asked India and Pakistan to sit across the table and start a composite dialogue as it was a historic opportunity for the leaders of the two countries to meet on the Saarc sidelines.