Council on Pakistani American Affairs (COPAA) 

The Government of Pakistan categorically refute a report published in the London Times on December 20, 2002 and reproduced by US newspapers today, alleging that a Pakistani scientist had offered Iraq nuclear weapons designs in 1990.  The report is completely false, irresponsible and obviously motivated. The fact of the matter is that this allegation had surfaced in 1998 in a Newsweek article.  The matter was thoroughly investigated at the request of the IAEA which is responsible for Iraqi nuclear disarmament and possesses all relevant information relating to the Iraqi nuclear program.  The allegation proved to be completely false.


Consequently, the IAEA had written to the author of the story correspondent John Berry stating unequivocally that his story was “inconsistent with the information available to the IAEA”. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan had released to the press this official IAEA letter to Newsweek which had effectively closed this matter.  The present case is simply a malicious regurgitation of an allegation which had been found to be completely false.


It is evident that the campaign of inspired leaks based on pure fiction is continuing following on the baseless allegations regarding Pakistan’s cooperation with North Korea.



Washington DC

December 22nd, 2002