Observing that Pakistan suffered "maximum damage" from Dr A Q Khan's nuclear deals, President Pervez Musharraf [Images] has said he had no sympathies with the scientist who maligned the country.

Musharraf in his interaction with American journalists at Time magazine headquarters in New York said the Khan episode made him "very sad" and compels him to say that Pakistan "suffered maximum damage from this nuclear scandal."

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"He maligned Pakistan, brought bad name and I have no sympathies with him. I admit that he gave Pakistan valuable technology for nuclear deterrence but he had no right to disgrace his country," he was quoted by Pakistan Observer as saying.

Musharraf dismissed allegations that Pakistan Army and A Q Khan were hand in glove in sending nuclear exports to Iran, Libya and North Korea.

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"Due to the secrecy and sensitivity of the nuclear programme, Dr A Q Khan had a free hand for several decades till I smelled foul play in year 2001 and I sacked him," he said, adding that Khan did not have the know-how of trigger, guidance and delivery systems.