"Many scientists and people of other nationalities were involved in the underground network," Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri told a news conference jointly addressed by his Japanese counterpart Taro Aso.

"There were maybe 80 or 90 or 100 people involved, (and) we have not seen similar action against them as we have taken against doctor A.Q. Khan," Kasuri said.

Pakistan took the "strongest action and has put the network out of business," Kasuri added.

Abdul Qadeer Khan, considered the father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb, confessed in February 2004 to leaking secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya after a government probe into nuclear proliferation.

The United States believes the technology has enabled Iran to enrich uranium to a level required for making nuclear weapons.

Khan was later pardoned by President Pervez Musharraf but since then has been living under a virtual house arrest in Islamabad.

Kasuri said the "harsh" treatment of Khan had sparked criticism of the government.

"A.Q. Khan was regarded by a large section of Pakistanis as a national hero for bringing strategic parity in South Asia, (he) has been treated harshly and there are some critics of the government policy in Pakistan on that issue," he said.

Kasuri said Pakistan strongly believed in non-proliferation.

He said Pakistan wanted the Iranian nuclear issue to be resolved peacefully within the framework of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency).

Aso said Japan and Pakistan were exchanging information on the underground nuclear proliferation network and Khan.

"We very much appreciate the information provided by the Pakistan government," the Japanese minister said.

Earlier the two foreign ministers signed an agreement on an emergency earthquake loan of 100 million dollars.

Aso announced an additional grant of 55 million dollars for Pakistan's quake-hit areas, bringing Japan's total assistance to 200 million dollars.

A giant 7.6 magnitude quake on October 8 killed more than 73,000 people and made 3.5 million homeless in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and North Western Frontier Province.

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