Pakistan wants to investigate a scientist on charges of transferring nuclear secrets to Iraq and Iran, a government lawyer said Monday.

The petition has been filed by the Pakistan government for court permission to investigate Abdul Qadeer Khan.

"We basically seek permission to see Dr. (Abdul) Qadeer Khan and investigate into the matter as well as restrain him from making any statement and interacting with anybody," government lawyer Naveed Inayat Malik told Reuters by telephone.

The petition was filed in the Lahore High Court after two articles in the Washington Post, published on March 10 and 14, reported that the Pakistani nuclear scientist had tried to help Iran and Iraq develop nuclear weapons, Malik said.

Those deals allegedly occurred with the knowledge of the Pakistani government. Both the Pakistan government and Khan have denied the reports.

The court adjourned the proceeding until Wednesday after holding a preliminary hearing on the petition on Monday.

Khan's lawyer Ali Zafar described the government's move as an attempt to delay the court's verdict on Khan's earlier challenge to the restrictions placed by the government on his movements.

The government says the restrictions are for his safety, but Khan says they are unfair limits on his daily life.

The government relaxed restrictions on the country's revered nuclear scientist last year, but barred him from talking to the media and required him to travel with security guards.

US newspaper published excerpts of what it said was Khan's official account of his country's dealings with Iran, that describe the Islamic state's attempted purchase of nuclear weapons in a $10bn deal.

Pakistan, which has not signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, conducted several nuclear tests in 1998 but is thought to have the capability to produce bombs since 1986.

Pakistan hopes to bring up the subject of a civilian nuclear deal with the US at this week's strategic dialogue in Washington.


Agencies