Islamabad: Authorities have detained at least five scientists and administrators from Pakistan's main nuclear facility after a probe into the alleged transfer of technology to other countries, a Government spokesman said today (Feb 5, 2004).

"At least five people have been detained for a period of three months," Interior Ministry spokesman Rauf Chaudhry said.

"They include nuclear scientists and administrators belonging to the Khan Research Laboratories (KRL)," he said.

They were detained under Pakistan's security law, he said.

However, former KRL chief Abdul Qadeer Khan, known as the father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb, was not among those in detention, Chaudhry said.

Khan admitted to proliferating nuclear technology in a televised address yesterday (Feb 04, 2004) and begged for the nation's forgiveness.