New Delhi: Amid fears of Pakistan's nuclear weapons falling into wrong hands, at least nine Pakistani nuclear scientists have "secretly absconded" from the country.

The latest defection has taken place as late as in July 2002, US-based online 'South Asia Tribune' quoting documents from Pakistani nuclear power plant CHASNUPP, said.

Eight of the nine absconders were "senior engineers" and one was an assistant engineer, said the weekly run by Shaheen Shebai, who fled Pakistan fearing danger to his life for opposing the military regime of Pervez Musharraf.

Four of the absconding engineers belonged to the operations division of the power plant, two to the mechanical maintenance division and one each to the electrical, technical and training divisions, it said.

While six disappeared between February and October 2000, two absconded in 2002 and one in 1997.

According to the weekly, the document speculated that these engineers went to the US, Canada or Australia but in fact they could have gone to any country as they had left without permission.

The weekly pointed out that the situation for the rest of the world was scary as Pakistan could easily become the feeding ground for nuclear activities.

"The scientists of CHASNUPP have sounded the warning bell for the Pakistani authorities. They have to look after this sensitive resource and not push it to the edge. Otherwise it could mean disaster for the country," a retired nuclear scientist was quoted as saying by the weekly.

PTI