ISLAMABAD, July 24: Three officials of the Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) who were under government custody for the last six months for their alleged involvement in nuclear proliferation were released here on Saturday.

"We have released them because they are not required in the investigations at this point of time," said Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan while talking to Dawn.

The names of the three released officials are: Dr Mohammad Nazir, Director General Science and Technology, Brig (retd) Sajawal Khan, Director General Maintenance and Construction Division, and Major (retd) Islamul Haque, Personal Staff Officer of KRL founder Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan.

Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan said that the three had, however, been told that they could be called again any time because the investigation was still on.

These officials were arrested on January 17, 2004.

About Dr Mohammad Farooq, who was the Director General Procurement, he said investigation against him was still going on. "Therefore, he has not been released."

Dr Mohammad Farooq was taken into custody on November 23, 2003.

The detention period of these officials was recently extended by a Review Board of the Supreme Court on July 15.

Hussamul Haque, chairman of what is known as the 'Khan Release Liaison Committee', described the release of the three KRL officials as "continuity of detention," as they have been required to stay at home.

"It would have been better if Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, the architect of Pakistan's nuclear bomb and currently under 'house arrest', and Dr Farooq, were also released," he said.

Ikram Mohammad Chaudhry advocate, who had challenged the detention of these officials in the Supreme Court, also demanded immediate release of Dr Farooq while welcoming the release of the three officials.

He also asked the government to make public the sealed FIR, registered against these officials along with Dr A.Q. Khan, by providing its copies to these officials so that they could prepare their defence against the charges under which they had been booked.

He also warned that he would keep raising the issue of Dr A.Q. Khan and the detention of Dr Farooq from different forums if the government failed to release them immediately.

He also accused the government of violating fundamental rights and liberty of the people of Pakistan "simply to win the favour of the US."