Pakistan denies claims it's handed over nuclear scientists to CIA

Pakistan's government is denying reports the CIA and FBI are questioning three of its nuclear scientists.

Newspapers in the country claim they've been handed to US officials.

The reports say they're being questioned about the transfer of nuclear technology secrets to Osama bin Laden.

"There is no truth in the story. No scientist, nuclear or otherwise, has been handed over to the US government or any of its agencies," the President's press secretary, Major General Rashid Qureshi, said.

The daily Pakistan Observer newspaper claims the Islamabad government had delivered Dr Sultan Bashiru-Din Mehmood, Abdul Majid and Mirza Yousaf to US officials.

Dr Bashiruddin Mehmood, in particular, has come under particular scrutiny for his alleged sympathies with the Taliban.

The newspaper, quoting sources close to Dr Mehmood's family, claims he's told his family that if they don't hear from him in the next few days they should consider him dead.

Pakistan authorities have detained Mehmood and Majid for questioning in the last week.