A government spokesman has dismissed a journalist's claim as "baseless" that a suspect arrested in the slaying of eight girls was linked to a child-porn network.

Malik Ahmed Khan said Friday investigators found no bank accounts linked to multiple killing suspect Mohammad Imran, who was arrested in connection with this month's rape and killing of 7-year-old Zainab Ansari.

Khan said the probe of Imran was launched on orders from Pakistan's chief justice, who wanted investigators to look into TV journalist Shahid Masood's claims. The Karachi-based journalist insisted before the court Thursday that Imran could be part of a gang that supplied porn videos of children to an international network.

Khan said the journalist's claim was "baseless and concocted."