ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office has expressed the hope that withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan will be carried out in a responsible way for ensuring peace and security in the region.
“We want that the withdrawal, as announced by US President Obama in his ‘state of the union’ address, should be carried out in a responsible manner,” Foreign Office spokesman Moazzam Ahmed Khan said in his weekly briefing here on Thursday.
He said Pakistan had always supported peace and security in Afghanistan and extended its full support to an Afghan-led reconciliation process.
Answering a question regarding opening of an office of the Taliban in Qatar, he said Pakistan was not part of that process but it had always supported Afghan-owned and -led reconciliation process.
The spokesman said 28 Taliban leaders had been freed from Pakistani jails and more would be freed in the near future so that the reconciliation process could succeed.
Opening of the office in Doha, he said, was a step in the right direction to achieve the objectives of peace and security in Afghanistan.
Replying to a question about a proposed Ulema conference in Kabul, he said Pakistan supported the initiative which was being finalised by the representatives of Ulema from both the countries.
However, there were some reservations among the Pakistani Ulema which he hoped would be removed amicably before the conference scheduled in the second week of next month.
KASHMIR: The spokesman said there had been no change in Pakistan’s Kashmir policy and the country had always tried that all the disputes and issues, including that of Kashmir, be resolved through a meaningful dialogue process with India. “Kashmir is a disputed territory and there is no change in Pakistan’s stance that it should be resolved through dialogue.”
He said: “We want to have normal trade relations with India besides resolving other issues through dialogue.”
The spokesman said Pakistan had expressed concern on the execution of Kashmiri leader Afzal Guru and a number of questions had been raised on the judicial process followed.
He said Pakistan had also called upon the Indian government to show restraint in dealing with the protests being held in Occupied Kashmir against the execution.
CHINA: Replying to a question on handing over of the Gwadar Port to China, he said a procedure was being considered in this regard.
“This is a matter between Pakistan and China and no other country need to be involved in it,” he said.
He said China was an important country in the region which could play an important role in the Afghan peace process.
QADRI: When asked about two passports held by Dr Tahirul Qadri, the spokesman said that under the law, any Pakistani citizen could hold dual nationality and have passports of two countries.—APP
