ISLAMABAD, 28 January 2004 — Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali have reaffirmed their commitment to the country’s nuclear program and said it would not be rolled back at any cost, Online news agency reports.

Jamali met Musharraf at the Army House in Rawalpindi yesterday and exchanged “extensive views” on the “debriefing” or questioning by security agencies of certain scientists allegedly involved in the transfer of nuclear technology to other countries.

Meanwhile, Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan yesterday said security agencies were likely to put “further questions” to the father of Pakistan’s nuclear bomb, Abdul Qadeer Khan, who has already been debriefed.

Jamali and Musharraf made crucial decisions about safeguarding Pakistan’s nuclear weapons and for preventing the transfer of nuclear technology, sources said.

The two leaders were in complete conformity that Pakistan would not allow anyone to proliferate, nor roll back its nuclear program.

They said culpable scientists or individuals involved in nuclear proliferation would not be spared as they had put personal interests ahead of national interests.

The sources said the two leaders also discussed the political situation in the country and Jamali briefed Musharraf on matters regarding the expansion of his Cabinet and the passing of the National Security Council Bill.

The two leaders agreed on strengthening the country’s security institutions to maintain law and order.

Commenting on the debriefing of nuclear scientists, Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan said: “The investigation against scientists and administration officials is continuing and very few individuals are being interrogated.

“Only seven individuals, including three former security officials and four scientists, are being debriefed,” he maintained.

“Questions have been asked from Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, the father of Pakistan’s nuclear bomb, and further questions would be asked from him,” Khan said. About 50,000 individuals were working for Pakistan’s nuclear program, including 6,000 scientists.

But only few individuals were being debriefed under charges of allegedly transferring nuclear know-how or technology by misusing their authority.

“Pakistan has a command and control regime and intelligence organizations are working to check any leakage,” Khan said. “We have a national command authority headed by the president and the prime minister as vice chair.”

The debriefing was part of a voluntary investigation following information collected from the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran and no one has forced us in this regard,” the spokesman said.

There was no question of any leakage or proliferation at present but in the past some individuals might have done so for financial gains, Khan said.