Islamabad: Pakistan today (Feb 27, 2004) strongly rejected news reports that it may have conducted joint nuclear tests with North Korea, State media reported.

Foreign ministry spokesman Masood Khan dismissed the report, which appeared in the 'New York Times', as "wild, mischievous and irresponsible speculation", a report by State-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said.

"This news report is incorrect and fallacious."

Khan said that Pakistan conducted its nuclear tests in 1998 exclusively. "The fanciful conjecture that it might have been a "joint test" is a mere fantasy, nothing more," Khan added.

The 'New York Times' quoted US intelligence officials as saying that Pakistan may have helped North Korea test a plutonium-based nuclear device in 1998.

Clues to the possible joint nuclear test followed underground nuclear tests carried out by Pakistan in May 1998, the paper said.