ISLAMABAD, Feb 2: Pakistan asserted on Saturday that its ballistic missile programme was entirely indigenous and said there was no truth in the US CIA report to the Congress, alleging continued Chinese assistance to Islamabad in its missile development programme.

“There is no truth in that report,” Foreign Office spokesman Aziz A. Ahmad Khan told reporters at the Foreign Office briefing when asked to comment on a report appeared in a section of the press stating that the CIA reported to the Congress that Pakistan continued to receive “significant assistance” from Chinese entities.

The spokesman also invited the attention of the newsmen to the Chinese government’s statement on the issue, categorically stating that it had not supplied any missile technology or missiles to Pakistan in violation of the Missile Technology Control Regime.

To a question about US President’s warning to Iran, Aziz A. Khan said that having had very close friendly relations with Iran, “we are not in the business of categorising one country or the other.” He said: “We appreciate Iran’s cooperation in combating terrorism.”

To other questions, the spokesman said there had been no change in the more than a month-long military standoff on the borders and reaffirmed Pakistan’s position to seek resolution of contentious issues with India through dialogue and negotiations which, he said was internationally accepted practice in inter-state relations.

It was unfortunate that so far India had not positively responded to the offer made to New Delhi a few days ago for phased withdrawal from the borders within an agreed time-frame of armies of the two countries to reduce tension, he said.

Commenting on a recent Russian foreign minister’s statement about Pakistan’s alleged support to Chechen fighters, Aziz A. Khan said that Islamabad had held intensive exchanges with Moscow on the issue and believed that it was now satisfied that Pakistan did not permit use of its territory for any such activity.

To another question, he said Pakistan aspired to join the Shanghai group of nations which included Russia and China and hoped that its membership to the group would be decided as soon as the charter of the group and mechanism for its membership had been decided.

Asked whether the programme and agenda for the next month visit of President Pervez Musharraf to Washington on the invitation of President Bush had been finalised, the spokesman said that while the programme was under consideration, the agenda would include bilateral relations and their promotion, besides issues relating to current South Asia military confrontation and tension, present regional situation and Kashmir and Afghanistan issues.

The spokesman said that in cooperation with the Red Cross and in bilateral contacts between Islamabad and Kabul since the establishment of their diplomatic relations, Pakistan was seeking complete information on the Pakistanis detained in Afghanistan and their release and repatriation to the country.