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KARACHI, Sept 8: Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider said on Sunday he had told the Iranian leadership that any Al Qaeda member coming to Pakistan from abroad, if he is not carrying travelling documents and is unable to give justification about his presence here, is sent back to the country he belongs.
In an interview on his return from a week-long visit to Qatar and Iran, the interior minister said this issue was raised during his talks with the Iranian leadership and he told them that action being taken by Pakistan was very strict and strong and our security agencies were working effectively in this regard.
The minister said he told the Iranian authorities that Pakistan had no plan to push Al Qaeda members into Iran. He said when Al Qaeda elements were bombed they did run for shelter but Pakistan had no plan to push them inside Iran nor could we do such a thing with a country with which we have exceptional relations.
KASHMIR ISSUE: Moinuddin Haider said he told the Iranian leadership about the elections being held in the occupied valley and that the people of Kashmir were least interested in the elections. He said elections were also held in the past but the Kashmiri people did not take part in them.
He said he told the Iranian leaders that Pakistan had done a lot for the resolution of the Kashmir issue and now it was for India to play its part and fulfil its promises.
Moinuddin Haider said Iran had always supported the principled stand taken by Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir.
To a question regarding smuggling, he pointed out that petrol and Iranian goods were smuggled to Quetta while fruits and some other items were smuggled to Iran.
He said he asserted to the Iranian leaders that smuggling should be checked and instead emphasis be laid on official trade.
He said that Pakistan imports from Iran stood at $350 million, whereas exports from Pakistan stood at only $25 million, showing a huge trade imbalance. He said he told them that this gap needs to be narrowed down and for this Iran should import wheat, rice etc from Pakistan.
The interior minister expressed the hope that these issues would be settled during the visit of President Khatami.
To another question, he said cooperation between border police force of the two countries was being strengthened and they meet in 2-4 weeks. — APP
