ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office welcomed on Thursday a proposed billion-dollar arms deal with the United States and hoped that congressional approval would come through soon.

“Pakistan seeks to procure US military equipment to meet critical gaps in its defence capabilities; the proposed equipment will also help our campaign against terrorism,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said at the weekly media briefing.

Also read: US defends latest provision of military equipment to Pakistan

The State Department has approved the sale of attack helicopters, missiles and communications equipment worth $952 million and the Congress has been notified about the proposed sale.

“By notifying the Congress of the proposed sale, the State Department is completing the US internal process in such cases. We hope the final clearance will come through soon. We welcome the notification by State Department,” the spokesperson said. “This is recognition of Pakistan’s needs in counter-terrorism operation. The congress would have one month to ask any additional questions and queries to the State Department. On the end of that the sale would be confirmed.”

PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE: The spokesperson said there was no opposition in parliament to siding with Saudi Arabia.

“In the parliament debate, we have not heard a single speaker saying that we should not stand by Saudi Arabia. One, everyone has endorsed what the government has said so far that Saudi Arabia is a friend and a brotherly country of Pakistan,” the spokesperson stressed.

She, however, noted that parliamentarians were opposed to becoming part of military operation in Yemen.

In an update on the evacuation of Pakistanis from Yemen, she said, majority of Pakistanis had been moved out. Some people, she added, had stayed back because they did not want to leave Yemen.

CHINESE LEADER’S VISIT: Regarding Chinese President Xi Jinping’s planned visit to Pakistan, the spokesperson said, he would be visiting Islamabad this month, but avoided giving dates for the trip.

“We have already confirmed that the Chinese president would visit Pakistan in this month. Exact dates of the visit have not been announced by the Foreign Office, dates of his visit in the media are speculative,” she said.

Pakistan and China, she said, “are strategic partners and all-weather friends”.

Ms Aslam said: “High Level exchanges between the two countries are a feature of our strategic partnership to further enhance our bilateral relations in all fields.”

IRANIAN GUARDS: Responding to a question about the probe into the killing of eight Iranian guards close to Pakistani border, Ms Aslam said that Iran had been asked to share evidence or intelligence that could facilitate investigations by Pakistani agencies if the culprits entered Pakistan after the attack which took place in Iran’s Negour area.

“As per our policy, we would not allow our territory to be used against any country. We would take the strongest action if indeed these people are found in our territory,” she added.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2015

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