ISLAMABAD, April 25: The foreign office on Saturday reiterated Pakistan’s Kashmir policy, saying it supported the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination in accordance with the United Nations resolutions. However, it pointed out, any solution of the problem acceptable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and any mechanism acceptable to them that redressed their grievances and helped them get their right to self-determination would be acceptable to Pakistan as well.

Speaking at his weekly press briefing, FO spokesman Jalil Abbas Jilani said Pakistan had always maintained that the All Parties Hurriyat Conference was the rightful representative of the people of the disputed territory.

The spokesman said that the acceptance by the Indian leadership of the Kashmir dispute for discussion gave hope that New Delhi had eventually agreed to search for a settlement of the issue.

Asked whether President Gen Pervez Musharraf during his recent one-to-one meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had ‘hinted’ that some of the government and party leaders of the Srinagar ruling group were ‘good leaders,’ the spokesman asserted that no-one from media was privy to the conversation between the president and the Indian premier. He rejected reports about the confidential talks as mere speculation.

Referring to the release of Malik Javed, an employee of the Pakistan embassy in Baghdad, kidnapped about two weeks ago, he said Mr Javed was safe but under severe psychological stress.

The spokesman said that Mr Javed’s release had been secured unconditionally following ‘strenuous’ efforts made by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz who contacted the Iraqi leadership and several friendly countries in this regard.

The prime minister made an impromptu announcement about Mr Javed’s return to the Pakistan embassy in Baghdad late on Sunday night at a ceremony held in honour of Pakistan cricket team, the spokesman said, adding that Mr Javed was expected to return home soon.

Mr Jilani denied reports that Pakistan, disappointed at the lack of response from the World Bank, had decided to approach the International Court of Justice on the Baglihar dam dispute. Pakistan has asked the World Bank to appoint neutral experts to resolve the dispute over the dam being built by India on its side of the Line of Control.

In reply to a question, he asserted that Pakistan-Afghan relations were excellent and were growing with friendly and frequent top-level interactions and close understanding of mutual issues.

He said that Pakistan would like to see increased access to its exports to India with removal of unfair tariff, non-tariff and bureaucratic hurdles from the two-way trade before any talks about a mutual Most Favoured Nation status started.

APP adds: Answering a question about the measures taken by the Pakistan government to avoid incidents like Mr Javed’s kidnapping in future, the spokesman said: “We have requested the government of Iraq to ensure security of our diplomatic staff.”

The government of Iraq, he said, had taken some steps in this regard while Pakistan had strengthened its own security arrangements and hoped that such incidents would not recur.

In reply to a question about the reported willingness of India to attend the Saarc summit, he said: “We have seen some news reports in this connection but nothing formal has so far been received.”

“As soon as a formal notification or information is received, Pakistan in the capacity of Saarc chairman will contact other member countries to fix a date for the summit.”