Pakistan yesterday ruled out the possibility that two of its retired nuclear scientists detained recently had any links with suspected activities of Osama bin Laden's network to produce anthrax spores for terror.

"There are no linkages established at all with any anthrax-related capability between the scientists and those people," government spokesman, Maj. Gen. Rashid Qureshi, told reporters.

The retired Atomic Energy Commission scientists, Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood and Abdul Majid, have been under investigation since last month over their activities in Afghanistan during the Taliban rule.

Both were extensively questioned and have now been put under detention. Pakistani officials have been conducting the questioning and investigation, Qureshi said when asked whether United States authorities were also involved. But any information "of value" was being shared with the U.S., he added.

Mahmood retired from the Atomic Energy Commission in 1988 and, together with Majid, founded two private humanitarian bodies called Umma Reconstruction and Holy Quran Foundation. They had visited Afghanistan several times.

President Pervez Musharraf said on Monday that the retired scientists had not been involved with the nuclear programme during their service.

Qureshi noted that the two were under investigation in connection with observance of rules that retired scientists were required to follow, as well as over their travels.

"Beyond that I am not privy to any other things," he commented, indicating that the investigation could include other aspects.