December 29, 2001	Saturday	Shawwal 13, 1422

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 28: Pakistan said on Friday that despite the measures it was forced to take as a follow-up to the Indian move, endeavours to cool down the temperature between the two countries will continue.

The foreign office spokesman, Aziz Ahmed Khan, said this during a briefing on the situation arising out of the hostile Indian manoeuvres here.

“We have exercised complete restraint against all Indian offensive actions so far, and we believe that all contentious issues could still be resolved through the process of dialogue,” said the spokesman.

He told a questioner that Pakistan was in touch with the international community on the situation and efforts to defuse tension and settlement of all issues through dialogue were going on.

He claimed that the US was engaged with India and Pakistan, and was taking necessary diplomatic measures in the matter.

When asked about Pakistan’s option of raising Indian offensive posture at the UN level, the spokesman said, the foreign minister had already written to the world body’s secretary-general and the secretary-general of the OIC informing them of the situation.

He said that the withdrawal of 50 per cent staff by both Indian and Pakistani embassies in each other’s capitals would be completed by January 5.

He expressed the hope that the Saarc summit would be held according to schedule and that it will help reduce tension in the subcontinent.

Commenting on the Indian home minister’s latest allegation of ISI’s involvement in the mounting tension the spokesman said, Pakistan had applied complete restraint and its diplomatic missions had fully abided by the Geneva conventions.

Referring to the US putting Jaish-i-Mohammad and Lashkar-i-Tayyaba on the watch-list of terrorism, the spokesman said, such rules were applicable only in the American territory. He added that Pakistan had been taking steps against sectarian terrorism much before the Sept 11 attacks on the US.