ISLAMABAD, Nov 25: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali’s maiden address in the National Assembly last week contained a general observation that Pakistan would befittingly respond if anyone cast “an evil eye” on it and the statement was not aimed at any particular country, including India.
Foreign office spokesman Aziz Ahmad Khan said this while answering questions at a news briefing on Monday.
Pakistan, the spokesman pointed out, had always sought to maintain a consistent policy towards all its neighbours and other countries. As far as India was concerned Pakistan wanted to resolve all outstanding issues, including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir, he said and added that the only way to do so was through dialogue and negotiations.
He recalled that even as India had massed troops on borders, Pakistan, which was obliged to adopt appropriate defensive measures, wanted the return of troops on both sides to their peace-time locations, and wished the dialogue process to start so that the relations were improved and regional situation remained peaceful.
The spokesman said Islamabad had repeatedly stated that there had been no cross-border incursions from Pakistan and added that whatever was happening in Jammu and Kashmir was the result of an oppressive policy by India.
“India (is) still caught in the mindset of coercive diplomacy,” the spokesman said when asked to comment on two contrasting statements emanating from the foreign ministers of the two countries. Asked for elucidation of the observations made by Foreign Minister Mian Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri in an interview with Dawn on Monday, the spokesman said the minister’s statement was of a general nature wherein he had hoped that India would come forward and start dialogue.
The spokesman said that there had been a continuity in the country’s foreign policy all along with no sudden turns or twists though at times some needed adjustments had been made.
Asked about the messages of felicitations received by Islamabad on the revival of democracy and induction of the new government, the spokesman said that so far there had been no such communication from India and the Commonwealth though many other states, including the United States and the European Union president, had sent such messages.
In reply to another question, the spokesman said Pakistan would continue to support the international coalition war on terror. So far, he added, Pakistan had arrested about 400 fugitives.
Pakistan, the spokesman said, condemned recent terrorist attack on a temple in India and extended its condolences to the bereaved families.
APP adds: “India (is) still caught in the mindset of coercive diplomacy,” the spokesman said when asked to comment on two contrasting statements emanating from the foreign ministers of the two countries.
Indian Minister Yashwant Sinha had reportedly asked the world to impose economic sanctions on Pakistan while his new counterpart in Islamabad spoke of desire to have good relations with all, including New Delhi.
“It shows the different approaches of the two countries towards the resolution of issues,” the spokesman said.
Pakistan, he said, had always been asking for solution of disputes through peaceful means and “does not want to resort to tactics of coercion”. He hoped that India would respond positively after the new government in Pakistan.
In reply to a question, he said that as a consequence of the UN resolutions, the weapons inspectors had arrived in Iraq and hoped that the resolutions passed by the world body would be implemented.
