After assertions by Pakistan government that the probe chapter into the nuclear proliferation network of disgraced scientist AQ Khan was closed, President Pervez Musharraf has now said fresh investigations would be carried out if new evidence surfaced.
"You asked whether the case is closed or not. I do not know. The case closed but if there is new evidence we will again investigate. I cannot say. If he (Khan) tells everything it will be complete.
If new documentary evidence comes with his signatures what I can say about it," Musharraf said in an interview to Business Plus channel telecast on Thursday night.
His comments add new dimension to the issue as Pakistan Foreign Office recently said the "chapter of investigation" into Khan's clandestine network was "closed."
The move had drawn angry reactions from the US Congress which appointed a committee to re-open probe into Khan's network and began hearings.
In his interview, Musharraf said phrases like 'arms twisting' and 'exertion of pressure' by the US were created by the media and opposition parties and insisted that Pakistan would not hand over Khan, currently under house detention, for questioning to any foreign power but was willing to continue investigation on its own if any new evidence was forwarded.
"... We will not leave our honour and dignity. No Sir we will do that ourselves and we will not hand him over. We will investigate ourselves and will tell you. (There is) no arms twisting and no pressure," he said.
{{/usCountry}}"... We will not leave our honour and dignity. No Sir we will do that ourselves and we will not hand him over. We will investigate ourselves and will tell you. (There is) no arms twisting and no pressure," he said.
{{/usCountry}}"I have said A Q Khan will not be handed over to anyone. Nobody (else) will interrogate (him). We will do that... Why should we accept investigations from outside?"