President Asif Ali Zardari would be visiting Tajikistan at the invitation of his Tajik
counterpart Imamali Rahman to attend Nauroz celebrations in Dushanbe on
Sunday, adding that the dialogue with US will move forward after
completion of parliamentary review: FO
Briefing newsmen in Islamabad Thursday Foreign Office spokesman Abdul
Basit said the visit will provide an opportunity to the two leaders to
review all aspects of excellent bilateral relations.
They will provide guidance on the measures to further enhance
bilateral political, economic, defence and security relations. They will
also reflect on development of rail and road infrastructure and air
connectivity between the two countries. The President will also meet
other leaders attend the celebrations.
Mr. Zardari will also attend a quadrilateral summit with leaders of
Tajikistan, Iran and Afghanistan on Monday to discuss Afghan situation
and economic cooperation.
Replying to a question, the spokesman said depending on the outcome
of the parliamentary process, bilateral negotiations would be held with
the United States and some of the agreements concluded in the past would
be revisited. He pointed out that one such agreement about acquisition
of our services signed with the United Kingdom expired last month.
He said the parliamentary committee has recommended that these
agreements should be revisited and if need be appropriate provisions
should incorporated in them to preserve interests of the country.
To another question the spokesman categorically stated that there is
neither written nor verbal agreement with the United States about drone
attacks. He said under no circumstances Pakistan would agree to any
action which violates its sovereignty.He said we consider drone attacks
illegal and these unacceptable and counterproductive.
He said Pakistan has been telling the United States that it can deal
with militants and terrorists through its own resources provided
realtime intelligence is shared and other arrangements are in place. He
pointed out that Pakistan apprehended or killed over seven hundred
Al-Qaeda operatives during the last eight years.
He told a questioner that currently there are five Pakistanis
detained in Guantanamobay and the issue is repeatedly being taken up
with the United States. He said so far nothing positive has emerged but
hoped that our efforts would lead towards that end.
Responding to a question about activities of some of the Baloch
nationalists living abroad, the spokesman said demarches have been made
to the Governments concerned who have assured that they will not allow
their territories to be used for anti-Pakistan activities.
Asked to comment on statement of BD Awami League leadership that
their rival Khalida Zia received financial support from ISI, the
spokesman said such reports are totally baseless. He said these are part
of the mischievous efforts to damage brotherly and mutually beneficial
relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh. He said Pakistan strictly
adheres to the priciple of non-interference in the internal affairs of
other countries and it is ill-advised to subject Pakistan-BD relations
to the internal politicking in BD.
To a question he said Pakistan supports six party talks to create nuclear weapons free Korean peninsula. SANA
