Pakistan sacked top nuclear scientist Me Abdul Qadeer Khan as scientific adviser to the prime minister today following an investigation into the sale of nuclear technology to Iran and Libya, a government official said.
"Yes, he has been removed from this post," the official said, requesting anonymity.
The decision coincided with a meeting of the National Command Authority (NCA) chaired by President Pervez Musharraf. The NCA is made up of military, political and scientific officials and controls Pakistan's nuclear arsenal.
Pakistan has questioned Mr Khan and several of his colleagues in recent weeks after a UN nuclear watchdog began investigating links between Pakistan's nuclear programme and those of Iran and Libya.
Western diplomats have said Pakistani scientists might also have sold nuclear technology to North Korea.
Mr Khan is revered in Pakistan as the "father" of the country's nuclear programme.
Mr Musharraf, a key US ally in its "war on terror", last week said it appeared Pakistani scientists had sold nuclear secrets abroad, but reiterated Islamabad's position that there had been no official involvement.