Nuclear technology of North Korea is much better than that of Pakistan, Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, nuclear scientist said, but exclude any help from Islamabad to Pyongyang in this respect.

Mr. Khan asserted that North Korea was self-contained in the nuclear technology due to its highly qualified scientists, in a telephonic interview to BBC Urdu.

He has given interview a day after North Korea said it successfully tested a hydrogen bomb, 6th nuclear test and most powerful weapon Pyongyang has ever tested.

Mr. Khan said that under a missile programme he had been to North Korea two times, and found much better quality than Pakistan. “Mostly their highly capable scientists have studied in Russia.”

During its war with the United States for last 20-year, Russia and China never leave North Korea alone, he said, remembering the support for Vietnam.

Mr. Khan confessed that in February 2004, they have supplied nuclear technology and expertise to North Korea, Libya, and Iran.

Mr. Khan clearly rejected the notion out of hand and said, “It’s out of the question when asked about role of Pakistan in North Korea’s nuclear programme. We have the same old and conventional technology while they have much better overall technology than ours,” he said.

He said relationship of Pakistan with North Korea for the missile programme was common knowledge. “In actual fact, the Pakistani government itself announced its terms with North Korea.”

Mr. Khan on North Korea’s latest nuclear test said their hydrogen bomb tested by Pyongyang capable of destroying any city within minutes.

“Hydrogen bombs are more powerful than atom bombs. Atom bomb may destroy the radius of 1.5–2 kilometers, but a hydrogen bomb can devastate an entire city,” he said.