WASHINGTON, June 3: The US and Britain have asked Pakistan to send a brigade to join peacekeeping forces in Iraq, Foreign Secretary Riaz H. Khokhar told reporters on Monday.

A Pakistani brigade includes about 3,000 troops, he said.

Mr Khokhar, who was in Washington on a daylong visit, said Islamabad had not yet decided whether to contribute troops for this purpose. “This is something we have to study very carefully before we take a decision. There are several questions that remain unanswered.”

The foreign secretary said that unless Pakistan gets satisfactory answers to the questions involved, “we are not going to plunge into it.”... We haven’t said yes, we haven’t said no.”

Mr Khokhar said that the government had drawn up a list of 12 to 14 private Pakistani companies it believes can play an effective role in the reconstruction of Iraq.

“We have given their portfolios to American multinationals who will be awarding sub-contracts for reconstruction projects. The decision has to be taken by them.”