ISLAMABAD, March 10 (Xinhuanet) -- Pakistani Information and Broadcasting Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said Thursday Dr. QadeerKhan, the country's well-known nuclear scientist, had provided centrifuges to Iran, according to the official Associated Press ofPakistan.

    "He had given centrifuges to Iran in his individual capacity and the government of Pakistan had nothing to do with this," Rashid said in response to a question at a seminar on political reconciliation in the country.

    Rashid said it was duly acknowledged that Dr. Khan was involvedin proliferation at the individual level but added the Pakistani government would not hand him over to any other country.

    "Whatever we have told in this case, it should be duly acceptedand acknowledged," Rashid said.

    He emphasized that the issue of Iran's nuclear program should be settled through dialogue instead of opting for any extreme step.     

    Qadeer Khan, father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb, confessed earlylast year that he had transferred nuclear secrets to some countries like Iran and Libya. But he denied any involvement of the Pakistani government or military in the nuclear scandal. Qadeer Khan was later pardoned by President Pervez Musharraf. Enditem