November 11, 2001	Sunday	Shaba’an 24, 1422

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 10: Foreign office on Saturday refused to comment on the reports that Osama bin Laden possessed nuclear weapons saying that “it is just an individual claim.”

“The veracity of these claims should be checked either with the one who has given the interview or with the one who has interviewed him,” FO spokesman Aziz Ahmed Khan told reporters at the daily briefing.

When asked how a journalist reached Osama bin Laden while the entire intelligence network of the United States and Pakistan were groping in the dark, he said Pakistan had joined international coalition for combating terrorism. However, he said, he could not comment that what would be the methodology and what would be the mechanism to execute the military operation.

The spokesman pointed out that before the military operation the government had tried its best to explain the gravity of the situation to the Taliban.

He also denied reports that the Taliban were still getting some assistance from Pakistan, saying that “it is wrong”. He said that Pakistan was strictly abiding by the United Nations Security Council resolutions.

As regard concerns being expressed by the international media about Pakistan’s nuclear assets, he reiterated that Pakistan had impeccable safety record and there had been no leakage of any kind since its inception long time ago. The nuclear assets were in safe hands and there was no need of concern, he added.

To a question that Indian nuclear assets were far more vulnerable, he said he could not comment on Indian nuclear assets.

When asked whether the recent gains of the Northern Alliance were a cause of concern for Pakistan, he said efforts were being made at the level of United Nations for the establishment of a broad-based government in Afghanistan and hoped that these efforts would succeed.

When asked whether taking over of Kabul by any particular group would be acceptable to Pakistan, he said the government had already stated that allowing one group to take over Kabul would not solve the problem and the turmoil would continue.

“The entity which takes over Kabul should be acceptable to all Afghans,” he said.

About the anti-Taliban statements being issued by the US embassy and whether the government had summoned the US ambassador and reminded her of the third country rule applied earlier to Afghan ambassador, he said an international coalition under the UN resolutions was combating terrorism emanating from Afghanistan and all the statements issued relating to execution of that resolutions were not effected by the third country rule.

To a question about Kashmir, the spokesman said that the resolution of Kashmir issue could end the miseries of the Kashmiri people, adds APP.

To another question about making differentiation between terrorism and freedom struggles of Palestine and Kashmir, Mr Khan said the international community was cognizant of the facts about freedom struggles.

About establishment of refugee camps inside Afghanistan, Mr Khan said we were waiting for the reply from the Taliban.

“We have asked Taliban to provide space for camps inside Afghanistan and they promised to come back. The supply of assistance inside Afghanistan is cost -effective. We hope that Afghan authorities would come back with a positive response,” he said.

The spokesman welcomed the UAE commitment to invest $265 million saying: “This is a brotherly act by UAE. They come forward when Pakistan needs it.”