Washington: US Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone has urged Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to allow American intelligence agencies to interview the disgraced nuclear scientist A Q Khan.

In a letter to the Pakistani President, Pallone said, "I am writing to you because I am concerned that you are not permitting further inquiry into this situation and in particular, that you are refusing to allow US intelligence agencies to directly question Dr Khan."

"This is extremely disconcerting on a number of levels, namely because the US is missing many critical details due to Pakistan's withholding of information and more specifically, proof of whether or not the nuclear exchange took place beyond North Korea, Iran and Libya," he said.

The New Jersey Congressman in his letter yesterday (Apr 14, 2004) said that despite the fact that Pakistan has been declared an ally in the global war on terror, its nuclear behaviour exemplifies just the opposite.

Although Pakistan has provided the United States and its Asian allies some information regarding the nuclear transfers, American officials believe the Pakistan Government is withholding critical information, he said.

Pallone's letter comes in the wake of reports that the Pakistani scientist not only sold nuclear equipment to North Korea, Iran and Libya but also visited a secret underground nuclear plant in North Korea.