Sharif said that Pakistan's success in nuclear technology was the result of the dedicated work of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) and the Kahuta research laboratories of Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan.

He said that despite all embargoes and restrictions placed on Pakistan since 1974, PAEC was operating the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (Kanupp) safely, efficiently and economically.

Sharif said that he was pleased that while the PAEC's focus was on nuclear power, other dimensions had been looked into as well. The achievements in agriculture, medicine, hydrology andindustrial applications were commendable.

He announced the upgrading of the teaching establishments of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Council into degree-awarding institutions. The council is the supreme body to the PAEC and Pakistan's PM is its chairman.

Meanwhile, Pakistan today again sought to internationalise the Kashmir issue by demanding that major powers engage in the peace and security process in South Asia with a focus on it.

Pakistan has been demanding ``a clear demonstration of collective engagement on the part of the major powers in the process of peace and security in South Asia which has to focus on Kashmir'', a foreign ministry official said.

The latest Pakistani attempt to internationalise the Kashmir issue came as a high-level team led by foreign secretary Shamshad Ahmed left here for London to hold talks with the United States on issues related to nuclear non-proliferation and economic sanctions imposed following Islamabad's nuclear tests.

``We hope Washington will understand oursecurity concerns,'' the official was quoted as commenting, by the APP news agency. on the fourth and crucial round of talks beginning on August 25, during which a final decision on Islamabad's signing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty is expected to be taken.

The US, after the May nuclear tests, imposed economic sanctions on both India and Pakistan and is insisting that both the countries sign and ratify the CTBT for the sanctions to be lifted.