ISLAMABAD, Jan 26: A high-level meeting presided over by President General Pervez Musharraf on Monday decided that "one or two scientists who sold the country's nuclear technology to Iran and Libya" would be taken to task.

Briefing the media on the outcome of the meeting, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said the nation should not lose its sleep if one or two scientists were taken to task for their "irresponsible behaviour", as there were about 6,000 scientists working in different organizations in the country.

The minister said the whole process would be completed in a week, if not days. There are only four scientists in the government custody, and one or two may be allowed to go home within days, he told newsmen.

In reply to a question about the fate of the scientists who might be found guilty, the minister used a Punjabi proverb saying that those who had eaten carrots would have to suffer from stomach ache.

He criticized the media for its role and, referring to some retired security officials who had been detained, said that those who had not studied science even in matriculation were being dubbed as scientists.

Sheikh Rashid said he would not use the word "debriefing" as he was not aware of its meaning, and would say that those "under investigation" if found guilty would face the consequences.

At present, he said, there were only seven KRL officials under investigation, and three of them were security people and the other scientists.He said the country's media was creating problems for the government and requested journalists to show responsibility.

The minister said these investigations were not being conducted on the pressure of the United States or any other country, and it was Pakistan's sovereign decision to hold probe into the matter after receiving a letter from the International Atomic Energy Commission (IAEC).

When it was pointed out that the Iranian deputy foreign minister, in his press conference about two weeks ago in Islamabad, had denied that Pakistan or any of its scientists had helped his country in its nuclear programme, the minister said the IAEC letter did mention of "information" received from Iran and Libya. It made no mention of North Korea, he said.

The minister did not name any scientist for breaching the oath, but repeatedly hinted that out of the four scientists, at present in the custody of state agencies, at least two were likely to face charges in the court.

Asked specifically whether Dr A. Q. Khan was among those who would be tried for selling nuclear secrets, the minister did not give a direct answer. He, however, said the government had not found any evidence of bank accounts in any Middle East country. He said "channel rivalry" had been instrumental in the filing of such stories, and he as government spokesman condemned it.

The minister said the investigation was not being conducted to harass or insult anyone and asked the nation to pray that "we come out of this crisis (he used the term Pul-i-Sarat) unscathed".

He said there was no possibility of handing over any of the scientists to any other country. Asked if an organized group was proliferating nuclear technology, then why did Pakistan start interrogating its scientists, more so when no European country had taken any action against any of its citizens in this connection, the minister said: "Because we are Muslims and our mistake would not be tolerated."

He again criticized the media of the country and said European media never highlighted such activities carried out by their own people, whereas Pakistani media showed great keenness to lambast their countrymen.

The minister said that governments in Pakistan, past and present, never faltered on their pledge of non-proliferation of nuclear technology, and would continue to remain steadfast on it.

He denied that government agencies were applying third-degree methods against the KRL officials, and said if members of the families of the detained officials wanted to talk to their relatives, they should contact him through Ashfaq Gondal, an officer of the press information department.