Islamabad: Pakistan has rejected US moves to monitor movement of nuclear material in the country, and firmly told Washington to take the highly sophisticated equipment back.

The apparatus, which was requested for by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) operatives, had arrived at one of the airports in Pakistan, but Custom officials refused its clearance.

Pakistan said allowing the equipment into the country would have amounted "interference in its internal affairs", the Online news agency reported.

Pakistani intelligence got to know about the move and informed the higher authorities.

Custom officials brought the matter up before Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz and other top government functionaries and they were instructed to refuse clearance of the cartons.

The FBI raised the matter with US Ambassador Nancy Powell, who met Shaukat Aziz. Pakistani authorities, however, refused to accept her plea and the FBI was left with no option but to take back the equipment.

ANI