ISLAMABAD, July 25: Pakistan made it clear on Monday that there had been no official word from Cairo on the reported involvement of Pakistani citizens in Egypt bombings over the weekend. The foreign office underlined on Monday that so far no such link had been established by the Egyptian authorities.
Foreign Office Spokesman Mohammad Naeem Khan stated this at the weekly news briefing here. He was replying to questions about the alleged involvement of Pakistanis in the bomb attacks in Egypt’s Red Sea resort of Sharm al Sheikh. “We are in touch with our mission in Cairo and we have not been approached by the Egyptian government in this regard,” Mr Khan maintained.
“There is no connection between Pakistanis and bomb blasts in Egypt,” he asserted. He pointed out that some reports implicating Pakistanis had been denied by an Egyptian newspaper AL Akhbar on July 24, 2005.
The newspaper on Sunday quoted Egyptian security sources as denying reports of nine Pakistanis managing to enter Egypt on July 5, 2005, with forge passports as suspects of links with Sharm al Sheikh blasts.
Asked if there were any Pakistanis reported missing in Egypt, the spokesman categorically stated: “We have no such information and neither has such information been passed on to us.”
INDO-US ACCORD: Foreign Office Spokesman faced a number of questions on the recent Indo-US accord in the nuclear civilian fields and its implications on Pakistan.
He said: “We have noted the understanding between India and United States on civilian nuclear cooperation and we are carefully watching this to see how the United States changes its legislation to accommodate this.”
Hinting that Pakistan would seek similar cooperation from the US government, Spokesman Mohammad Naeem Khan said: “Pakistan has its own strategic relationship with the US and has expectations of expanding cooperation in multiple fields including hi-tech peaceful uses of nuclear energy and peaceful uses of space technologies.”
In this context, he maintained that Islamabad had already asked the Nuclear Suppliers Group to extend cooperation to Pakistan in peaceful uses of nuclear energy under the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Commission) safeguards. He pointed out that according to the target set by Pakistan for 2025, it would be producing 8,800mw electricity through nuclear energy.
In reply to a question, he underlined Pakistan’s position and said global nuclear non-proliferation regime should accommodate the nuclear reality of the non-NPT states.
Answering another question, he said the US government had been “continuously in touch” with the top Pakistani leadership during the Indian Prime Minister’s visit to Washington. Top US diplomat Dr Condoleezza Rice, after her call to President Gen Pervez Musharraf, had also talked to Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri, he said.
He said Dr Rice while reiterating that Pakistan was a key strategic ally of the US and a close partner, assured the Pakistani leadership that the US understanding with Delhi was not directed against Islamabad.
The spokesman was evasive when asked if the US official had held out any assurances of extending similar cooperation to Pakistan.
When Mr Khan’s attention was drawn to a US Congressman’s statement that in order to prevent extremism and terrorism, Muslim’s holy places should be attacked, he said: “These are outrageous, provocative and inflammatory statements and any sane person would condemn them.”
MANMOHAN’S STATEMENTS: In reply to a question about the negative statements of Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh about Pakistan during and after his US visit, Mr Khan said: “Pakistan is disappointed with the tone and tenor of these statements.”
Terming them ‘unfortunate statements’, he said they were not consistent with the spirit of the ongoing peace process between the two countries.
Asked if Pakistan through official or diplomatic channel had conveyed to the Indian leadership its disappointment on these statements, he said: “Yes, the Indian government knows about these concerns.” However, the spokesman avoided any details.
Asked if the Indo-US defence pact or nuclear cooperation would affect the Indo-Pakistan talks on nuclear CBMs next month, he said: “Well, no it should not have any impact. The talks are on track.”
On apprehensions being expressed by the top Indian leadership on the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project, the spokesman said: “Pakistan will go ahead with the project even if it is not feasible for India.”
TRAVEL ADVISORY: Asked if in the wake of London blasts and certain unfortunate incidents, Pakistan was contemplating issuing a travel advisory to Pakistani citizens, his response was: “Well, not really. I don’t think there is a need for it as there is no major problem.”
