ISLAMABAD : Expressing dismay over the unexpected verdict in Dr Aafia Siddiqui case in the US, Pakistan has said that it would determine its future course of action by consulting her family members and lawyers. At a weekly media briefing, Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said.

“We are dismayed over the unexpected verdict in Dr Aafia case. The government of Pakistan made extensive diplomatic and legal efforts on her behalf and would continue these efforts in future.” The President, Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister had taken up the issue at different levels of the US Administration for her release on compassionate grounds. Under the directions of the Prime Minister Dr Aafia was also extended all legal support through embassy in Washington, he said.

The government of Pakistan, he said would consult the family of Dr Aafia and the team of defence lawyers to determine the future course of action and the government would do all that is needed to provide justice to Dr Aafia.

Commenting on the presence of the US soldiers, he said that some US soldiers were in Pakistan to train personnel of Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) in NWFP in an effort to combat insurgency and militancy. However, the spokesman did not disclose the total number of the US soldiers present in Pakistan at the moment.

About the Indian’s Foreign Minister’s dialogue offer on Kashmir issue, the spokesman said that Pakistan always believed in resolving the issues through negotiation and dialogue but the talks must be result-oriented. He added that water issue with India was getting serious and Pakistan was thinking to take it up at appropriate forum.

The spokesman maintained that India had breached the Indus Water Treaty by announcing construction of dams. The spokesman said that Pakistan has a clear-cut stance on Kashmir issue, adding that Pakistan would continue its support to the Kashmiris at every forum. To a question, Basit said that Pakistan would welcome international community for any role in settling the Jammu and Kashmir and other issues with India.

About Pakistan’s role in the reintegration and reconciliation in Afghanistan, the spokesman said that it was Afghanistan to determine the role to be played by any other country to bring peace and stability in Afghanistan. He added that Pakistan was always ready to play a positive and constructive role for brining peace and stability in the neighbouring country. Peace in Afghanistan was in the better strategic interest of Pakistan, he said.

Responding to a question, he said that there was dissimilarity between the situation in Pakistan and in Afghanistan as security forces in our country were successfully defeating the militants and there was no need of reconciliation with them and such situation was not prevailing in Afghanistan at present.

About the body scanning of Pakistan passengers at the US airports, he said that Pakistan has taken up the issue with the US high officials including Richard Holbrooke and expressed the hope that the discriminatory law would be revisited. Answering another question, he said that there was complete consensus and realisation among the international community at the recent London conference on Afghanistan that Pakistan could play important reconciliatory role in Afghanistan. However, he expressed his concerns over the growing role of India in Afghanistan.

SOURCE : Pakwatan.com

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