ISLAMABAD, Nov 2: The foreign office on Wednesday announced that the planned visit of the Pakistani delegation to Gaza and West Bank has been deferred due to quake crisis in the country.

Foreign office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam, at a weekly news briefing on Wednesday, said:“ Because of situation in the country, a decision has been taken to review foreign visits of all official delegations.”

But she did not tell another date or gave a hint. In reply to a question, she said the exact composition and size of the delegation had not been finalized, but made it clear that it would be a small team, dismissing reports that a 200 members were expected to visit Gaza this month.

Asked if renewed Israeli air strikes on Gaza would have a negative impact on the planned visit, her rather evasive response was: “At the moment no delegation is going, so that takes care of that as well.”—Q.A.