Islamabad: Pakistan Government has told the Lahore High Court hearing the petitions for the release of nuclear scientists and officials detained for proliferation of nuclear technology that the case was beyond the jurisdiction of the court as it involves serious charges of breach of national security.

Pakistan's Attorney General Makhdoom Ali Khan told Lahore High Court's Rawalpindi Divisional Bench yesterday (Feb 11, 2004) that Major (retd) Islam ul Haq, the personal secretary of top nuclear scientist, Dr A Q Khan and others were detained for indulging in nuclear proliferation and anti-State activities.

While Dr. Khan was pardoned last week after making national confession over the State TV, 11 other scientists and officials of KRL were detained for questioning.

Arguing on the writ petition filed by the family members of the nuclear scientists and the security personnel, Khan said that if they were not arrested the country's security and sovereignty could have been collapsed.

A large number of family members of nuclear scientists were present to the Attorney General's reply to their petitions.

The court ordered the Attorney General to hand over the copies of the written reply to the defendant lawyers and adjourned the hearing till February 17.

Ali Khan told the court that the nuclear scientists were arrested under Security Act 1952 and their arrest orders were issued by Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Sultan Ahmed Khan.