Islamabad: Pakistan has declined to permit International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to question its disgraced top nuclear scientist AQ Khan on his statement admitting proliferating nuclear technology but promised to cooperate with the international community's efforts to contain nuclear black market.

"Pakistan had extended cooperation to the IAEA and would continue to do so. However, access to a Pakistani scientist is not possible," a statement issued by the Pakistan Foreign Office said while reacting to reports of IAEA's assertion that Pakistan had not permitted its official to question Khan.

The statement issued by a senior official said, "Pakistan, as a non-NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) State would continue to cooperate with the international community's efforts against nuclear black market. Pakistan has full confidence in its own investigative system," it said.

Khan considered as the father of Pakistan nuclear bomb had openly admitted few months ago to have passed off nuclear technology to Iran, North Korea and Libya. Khan, who lives in house arrest was subsequently pardoned by President Pervez Musharraf.