London

Two retired nuclear-weapons physicists were questioned last week by Pakistani security services over their possible links to the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

A spokesperson for the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood, former director of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), which built the nation's atomic bomb, and Chaudry Abdul Majeed, a former senior scientist at the PAEC, were “asked some questions” about their connections with Afghanistan. The duo were reportedly taken into custody in Lahore on 23 October.

“They have not been arrested and they are not under detention,” the spokesperson said, adding that they were questioned over their involvement with an Afghan relief agency founded by Mahmood. “It is just an investigation to look into the credentials of various non-governmental organizations who may have been working inside Afghanistan,” the spokesman added.

Mahmood was released earlier this week after being cleared by the security agencies, according to officials quoted in the Pakistani newspaper Dawn, which described him as “a staunch supporter” of the Taliban. Some observers have expressed concern about the combination of Mahmood's technical expertise and his political sympathies.

However, Bashir Syed, former president of the Association of Pakistani Scientists and Engineers of North America, said: “I know both of these persons and can tell you there is not an iota of truth that both these respected scientists and friends will do anything to harm the interest of their own country.”