ISLAMABAD, March 25: Pakistan welcomed on Thursday the decision by the United States to extend relief in the sanctions imposed during 1999. Talking to APP, Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan said: "We welcome this decision and hope this is a precursor for the termination of application of this US law to Pakistan."

Earlier talking to a private TV channel, the spokesman said the US imposed these sanction under clauses 5 and 8 of the Foreign Operations Preparation Act in 1999, most of which remained suspended or relaxed since 2001 onward.

The sanctions covered the areas of defence and economic cooperation, he added. Mr Khan said in the defence sector, the sanctions affected military financing and training, while in the economic area they affected economic activities under the US Trade and Development Agency, Overseas Private Investment Corporation and Economic Support Fund.

He said both the countries were cooperating in the elimination of terrorism, as well as in the education and economic sectors. The decision indicated that relations between two countries were going smoothly without any hurdle, he added.

In reply to a question regarding prospects of Pakistan's re-entry to the Commonwealth, he said there was no justification to keep Pakistan out of the forum after restoration of democracy in the country.