MULTAN, Oct 26: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shaikh Rashid Ahmed said on Sunday that Pakistan would send its troops to Iraq only after parliament approval.

“Muslims are facing a very difficult period and in this background Pakistan has to be very cautious to steer itself out of the crisis,” he told audience at a seminar organized by an Urdu daily.

He said the Press had never been as free as it was today in the country. “The credit for this freedom goes to General Pervez Musharraf who has never instructed his ministry to use the government advertisements as leverage to dictate its policy.”

It was because of the freedom of expression, he said, the opposition leaders were criticising the government “out of proportions.”

PML-N president Javed Hashmi, PPP senior vice-chairman Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani, Prof Ghafoor Ahmed of the JI, Hafiz Iqbal Khakwani, Majid Nizami, former speaker Saeed Ahmed Khan Manais and District Nazim Pir Riaz Hussain Qureshi also spoke.

Talking to newsmen about the Indian Defence Minister’s remarks, he said that Pakistan was ready for talks as well as for war with India if the latter so desired.—APP