December 11, 2002	Wednesday	Shawwal 6, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 10: The US government will continue using various bases in Pakistan to hunt down Al Qaeda terrorists, says minister for information Sheikh Rashid Ahmad.

“There is no change in the policy and the US government will continue to have necessary logistic support in defined areas to chase Al Qaeda men”, he further stated.

He told newsmen after the cabinet meeting here on Tuesday that the new government in Pakistan was committed to support the international community against terrorism.

Mr Ahmad, however, said that there were only 12 US men belonging to CIA or FBI in Pakistan who were supervising the operation against Al Qaede terrorists in tribal areas.

He also made it clear that American forces will not be allowed to use Pakistani territory for launching any attack on Iraq. “We are with the international community against terrorism but that does not mean that our soil could be used for attack on a third country”, he added.

The minister also claimed that not a single Pakistani had been handed over to the US during the last one year.

Asked about the reaction of the religious parties in case the Bush Administration decided to launch an attack on Iraq, he said that the government was well aware of the issue. “Nothing has so far happened about attack on Iraq, therefore, the government can not give its reaction”, he said.

But he said that the government knew how to deal with protest rallies of the religious parties.

These religious parties, he pointed out, had also held demonstrations during Gulf war which did not make any impact.

However, he said that the new government wanted to have very cordial relations with religious parties with a view to strengthen democracy in the country.