Pakistan has ruled out permission to the International Atomic Energy Agency to directly interrogate A Q Khan in order to unravel the proliferation network led by him. It claims it has been cooperating with the UN nuclear watchdog's investigations.

Reacting to comments by IAEA director Mohammad El Baradei to the media, that direct dialogue with A Q Khan would help solve the puzzle of the nuclear blackmarketing led by him, Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said, "We have been cooperating with the IAEA and this cooperation has been appreciated by the agency."

• 'I felt I was a victim of a conspiracy' 

President Pervez Musharraf has made it clear on many occasions that whatever information is required will be provided through the government of Pakistan, local daily The News quoted her as saying on Sunday.

The nuclear watchdog, which is currently dealing with Iran, wanted to question Dr Khan, who had allegedly assisted Tehran in developing its nuclear programme.