Monday, September 25 2006 12:50 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: "The Bush administration is 'very satisfied' and 'quite comfortable' with the way Islamabad has handled the issue of nuclear scientist A Q Khan's proliferation network," Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said.

In an interview with Sixty Minutes of CBS, some portions of which already made news in the last several days, Musharraf brushed aside the suspicion that since no one in the outside world has been allowed to talk to Khan because he may have something to say about the participation of the Pakistani army in the sale of nuclear technology.

"That is absolutely not the case. The President or Mr. George Tenet, they are very satisfied and they are quite comfortable with what we have done," Musharraf remarked making the point that Pakistani people would not have tolerated a long trial and prison sentence for A.Q.Khan.

Stating that Khan leaked the secrets because of ego, satisfaction and money, the Pakistani President pointed out that while the outside world may have wanted tougher punishment for the Pakistani scientist, domestic opinion would have nothing along those lines.

"Today, he's a hero of Pakistan. Because he's given us the atom bomb," he said making the point that while the disgraced scientist may not be living in a life of splendor "he's comfortable all right," he said.

"But otherwise now he doesn't even speak on telephone" Musharraf maintained.