Gilani denies links with North Korea's N-programme

Amid global concerns over Pakistan's track record on nuclear non-proliferation, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani on Monday said his country had no links with North Korea's atomic programme.

"There had been some disinformation and allegations during the past, but now it is a closed chapter that we have already denied," said Gilani, who is here to attend second Nuclear Security Summit.

His comments to South Korea's Yonhap news agency, Gilani denied any links with North Korea's nuclear programme contending that the allegations were unfounded. He said there was a need for the world to come up with a strategy to safeguard fissile materials that can be used for weapons of mass destruction.

Pakistan has developed very effective command and control systems to protect nuclear materials, Gilani said, adding that the information would be shared with the rest of the world. Pakistan's disgraced nuclear physicist A Q Khan has been accused by Western nations, including the US of running a clandestine proliferation ring. He had admitted to have provided nuclear technology to several countries, including North Korea in the past.

A book had also claimed that former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto had smuggled in critical data on uranium enrichment to North Korea when she was on an official visit there.

"Before leaving Islamabad she shopped for an overcoat with the 'deepest possible pockets' into which she transferred CDs containing the scientific data about uranium enrichment that the North Koreans wanted," author Syam Bhatia had written in his book 'Goodbye, Shahzadi'.