Islamabad: Dismissing as "sheer lies" allegations that he attempted to persuade the Nawaz Sharif Government to sell nuclear technology to Iran, Pakistan's former Army Chief General Aslam Beg has criticised President Pervez Musharraf for ordering interrogation of the country's nuclear scientists.

Asked about remarks by two former ministers, who recently alleged that a former Chief of Army Staff had conveyed to the then Prime Minister Sharif about Iran's willingness to pay a handsome price for transfer of nuclear technology, General Beg termed the charges as "sheer lies".

"I am not an idiot to carry such a message," he was quoted as saying by the local daily 'Dawn' today (Jan 22, 2004).

The former Army Chief said Musharraf's decision to question the nuclear scientists to verify the allegations of proliferation of technology has "demoralised" the country.

He said Musharraf should have withstood the international pressure on nuclear proliferation, cross-border terrorism and extremism.

"The President of the country should not have demoralised the country. These scientists have done so much for the country by providing the nuclear deterrence. They do not deserve this," he said.

General Beg said he was "shocked" at the way the nuclear scientists were being questioned.

Yesterday he denied reports that he too was questioned by investigation officials to verify the allegations of his attempts to prevail on the Sharif Government to pass the nuclear technology to Iran.

The paper said that some reports, which were neither denied nor confirmed by official quarters, suggested that the country's top nuclear scientist Dr A Q Khan had told investigators that any sharing of nuclear technology with Iran was sanctioned by General Beg, who served as Pakistan's Chief of the Army Staff between August 1988 and August 1991.

General Beg said when he was the Chief of Army during the tenure of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Government it was decided that Pakistan would not conduct "hot tests", after having achieved nuclear deterrence capability through "soft tests".

He said it was also decided that Pakistan would not indulge in nuclear proliferation under any circumstances.

General Beg said in the presence of a clear-cut Government policy of non-proliferation, he could not have carried such a message.

Pakistan Government said it has questioned eight nuclear scientists and officials connected with the country's premier nuclear installation, the Khan Research Laboratories (KRL).

Three of them have been released after the questioning, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said, adding the interrogation could be completed in a week.