Khan, the father of Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme, has been under house arrest since early 2004 when he confessed to passing atomic secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya.

An army statement said Khan had been in good health since he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in September 2006 but that on Tuesday "he complained of weakness and was provided immediate medical treatment at home."

"Medical check-up revealed low blood pressure and fever, probably due to some infection. Doctors advised him to be hospitalised for a detailed medical checkup," the statement said.

The 71-year-old scientist -- known here as A.Q. Khan -- was taken to hospital early on Wednesday and was being cared for by the team of doctors who treated him earlier.

"Doctors who are treating him are hopeful that Dr A.Q. Khan would return home fully recovered in a couple of days," the statement said, adding that the public would be kept informed "periodically" about his health.

Khan fell from grace after he publicly confessed in February 2004 to proliferating nuclear secrets.

He was immediately pardoned by President Pervez Musharraf. But while not officially under detention, Khan has since been forbidden from leaving his house in an upscale area of the capital Islamabad.

Musharraf has refused to allow international investigators to question Khan on the extent of his proliferation activities, saying that Pakistani authorities are capable of the task.

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