WASHINGTON, May 21: The Clinton administration has asked Pakistan for a waiver from its Officials Secret Act to enable former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto to testify before a federal grand jury on fund-raising allegations against Republican Congressman Dan Burton, a bitter critic of India.

Answering questions before his meeting with Secretary of State Madeleine Albright here, Pakistani Foreign Minister Gohar Ayub Khan said this was an unprecedented request for which there was no provision in the act.

He said a copy of the act had been provided to the US State Department. Ayub Khan said, ``Madame Benazir Bhutto is now in Islamabad,'' after a lecture tour of the United States.

``I understand, through the American embassy arrangments are being made to interview her and other officials who have nothing to do with the government of Pakistan,'' he added. According to reports from Islambad, Benazir is willing to testify if allowed by the Pakistan government. She is reported to have told the US Justice Deparment that under the Official Secrets Act she was barred from divulging anything and suggested that the US Government should take up this issue with the Pakistan Government.

The grand jury, which is conducting a probe into funding of presidential elections, is seeking to question Benazir about efforts by Burton to pressure a lobbyist for her government to raise campaign contributions for him.

It has already questioned Mark A Siegal, the lobbyist who had complained that he was approached by Burton early last year to raise ``at least'' 5,000 dollars for his relection campaign.

When he was unable to do so, Siegel said, the Congressman complained to the then Pakistani ambassador Maleeha Lodhi here and later threatened to make sure that ``none of his friends or colleagues'' would meets Siegel or his associates.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.