WASHINGTON - Pakistani military officials got bribes from North Korea for access to sensitive nuclear technology, AQ Khan, founder of Pakistans nuclear programme, claimed. In documents obtained by The Washington Post, the Pakistani nuclear scientist claimed that Pyongyang resorted to bribes in the late 1990s, and that he transferred over $3 million of North Korean money to senior Pakistani military officers, the Post reported. These military officers later allowed Khan to share technical know-how and equipment with North Korean scientists, the report said. One of the documents released by Khan is a copy of a letter in English he said was written to him by a North Korean official in 1998 giving details of the bribery arrangement. The Post quoted some Western intelligence officials and other experts as saying they think the letter is authentic, which would confirm their long-held suspicion. The Post said it could not independently verify Khans assertions and the letter. Pakistanis, including those named as receiving the bribes, however, described the letter a fake. According to the letter posted by The Washington Post, which is accompanied by a story, Jon ByongHo, secretary of the workers party of North Korea, in a letter dated July 15, 1998 asks AQ Khan, who then was the project director of the Kahuta Research Centre, to give agreed documents and components to a North Korean embassy official in Islamabad. In the letter Jon says that 3 million dollars have already been paid to Army Chief General J Karamat and half a million dollars and 3 diamond and ruby sets have been given to Gen Zulfiqar Khan. In an e-mail from Lahore, Karamat said that Khan, as part of his defence against allegations of personal responsibility for illicit nuclear proliferation, had tried to shift blame on others. He said the letters allegations were malicious with no truth in them whatsoever, The Post said. Khan called the letter a fabrication. A senior Pakistani official, who asked not to be named to avoid offending Khans supporters, was quoted as saying that the letter is clearly a fabrication. It is not on any official letterhead and bears no seal. The reference to alleged payment and gifts to senior Pakistani military officers is ludicrous, official said. The Washington Post said the letter was provided to it by former British journalist Simon Henderson, who the daily verified had obtained it from Khan. A US intelligence official who tracks nuclear proliferation matters said it contains accurate details of sensitive matters known only to a handful of people in Pakistan, North Korea and the United States, the daily noted. If the letter is genuine, it would reveal a remarkable instance of corruption related to nuclear weapons. US officials have worried for decades about the potential involvement of elements of Pakistans military in illicit nuclear proliferation, partly because terrorist groups in the region and governments of other countries are eager to acquire an atomic bomb or the capacity to build one, the Post said. Olli Heinonen, a 27-year veteran of the International Atomic Energy Agency who led its investigation of Khan before moving to Harvard Kennedy School last year, said the letter is similar to other North Korean notes that he had seen or received. They typically lacked a letterhead, he said; moreover, he said he has previously heard similar accounts - originating from senior Pakistanis - of clandestine payments by North Korea to Pakistani military officials and government advisers, the Post said. Khan is widely hailed by Pakistanis as a national hero but many Pakistani officials maintain he acted alone in selling nuclear secrets. US officials have held suspicions for years about the involvement of elements within the Pakistani military in illicit nuclear proliferation, the Post said. The issue assumes significance as terrorist groups and other countries seek to acquire an atomic bomb or the know-how to build one, according to the newspaper. US officials have not been able to investigate any corruption, partly because the Pakistani government will not allow them to contact Khan. North Korea currently is involved in uranium-enrichment, which Western experts suspect is to supplement it existing plutonium weapons. The Post said the North Korean government did not respond to requests for comment about the Khan letter.