At her weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, FO Spokesperson Tasneem Aslam said it was completely misleading and wrong to link these strikes with the ongoing operation in North Waziristan. She said that Pakistan condemned the recent incidents of US drone strikes that took place near Miramshah in North Waziristan during the early hours of Wednesday.
The spokesperson added that Pakistan regarded such strikes a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. She said these strikes also had a negative impact on the government’s efforts to bring peace and stability in Pakistan and the region.
Referring to previous statements and efforts of Pakistan on the drone issue, the spokesperson said Pakistan had agitated the issue at various international fora and presented and passed a number of resolutions against the drone strikes.
She said a resolution, sponsored by Pakistan, was also passed by the Human Rights Council on drone strikes and that Pakistan had also taken up the issue of drone strikes with the US officials at various levels to lodge its protest.
In response to another question about the military operation in North Waziristan and contact with the Afghan leadership, the spokesman said Pakistan had conveyed to the Afghan leadership that the operation was the need of the hour and aimed to purge the area from extremist and terrorist elements.
She said there was a need for better border management and parallel steps on the other side so that no terrorist could escape into Afghanistan. She said Pakistan has emphasised that there should be better management across the border this time and the Afghan government should also take adequate steps so that there could be no disturbance and interference from the Afghan side in this operation.
On the presence of Maulvi Fazlullah in Afghanistan, Tasneem Aslam said Pakistan does not allow the use of its territory against the neighbouring country and expects the same from Afghanistan.
Responding to a question about asking the Canadian government to stop Dr Tahirul Qadri from travelling to Pakistan as he is a Canadian citizen, the spokesperson said although there were international norms in this regard yet Qadri was also a Pakistani citizen and, therefore, this law was not applicable.
Commenting on the forthcoming visit of Adviser to Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz to the Russian Federation, the spokesperson said he will attend a conference but he will also meet his Russian counterpart during this visit and discuss the bilateral relations and regional situation.
The spokesperson said Pak-Russian ties had been on a positive trajectory in the last few years and these relations were improving in different fields. She said Sartaj Aziz will discuss with the Russian leadership ways and means to further improve these ties, especially in trade and economic sectors.
Replying to a question on the latest situation in Iraq, the spokesperson said, “We are concerned about the escalation of violence in Iraq. Pakistan wants stable, peaceful and calm, not only in Iraq, but also in the region.”
The spokesperson said Pakistan’s envoy in Baghdad had informed that all the Pakistanis living in Iraq were safe and sound as they were living away from the disturbed areas.Replying to a question, the spokesperson said there were 281 Pakistanis in different prisons of China. She said 90 percent of these Pakistani prisoners were held on charges of drug and illegal trade activities while very few were in jails on the charge of illegal entry or stay in China.On question of any contact between Pakistan and India, the spokesperson said the two sides were in contact with each other.
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