ISLAMABAD, Oct 6: Turkish Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mr Subru Sina Gurel on Saturday called on President Gen Pervez Musharraf and delivered a special message of Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, Foreign Office spokesman said.

The Turkish minister, who arrived on a day-long visit to Islamabad, also met Foreign Minister Abdus Sattar and discussed the situation arising out of Sept 11 incidents, he said.

Later, at a press conference Mr Subru said that the evidence provided against Osama bin Laden was satisfactory. “None of the governments which have received this evidence have given a negative remark,” he said.

The Turkish foreign minister said that the evidence should also be shown to the Taliban regime.

Earlier, the Foreign Office spokesman said at the daily briefing that in the letter the Turkish prime minister expressed solidarity with Pakistan.

Mr Ecevit also reaffirmed Turkey’s commitment to stand by Pakistan and to extend whatever help it might need.

“Turkey is fully appreciative and supportive of the stand taken by the Pakistan president in the fight against terrorism,” he added.

About the visit of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, he said, “it has restored complete normalcy between the relations of Pakistan and Britain.”

The British prime minister had also appreciated Islamabad’s position on the issue of terrorism.

As regards the military cooperation between Pakistan and Britain, which has been restored by Mr Blair after talks with President Pervez Musharraf, he said, the military cooperation was just one aspect of relations between the two countries. He said it would proceed with cooperation in other fields also.

Commenting on reports about visit of another high-level US delegation in the coming days, he said, he did not rule out the possibility of such a visit. However, he refuted reports that US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld, who had recently visited Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan, might come calling here.

On reports about a decision of the Taliban regime to deport a British lady reporter, who had been arrested near Kandahar a few days ago, he said it was their own decision.

Regarding the release of aid workers, he said, Islamabad had been demanding of the Taliban regime to deport the aid workers to Pakistan.

Asked whether Pakistan had lodged any protest over the hate attacks on Pakistani community in Britain and the United States, he said what should be understood was that the world had become very alive to the situation. He termed these incidents “scattered” and “acts of some individuals.”

The governments and civil society in the west had been doing a lot to forge harmony among the people of different communities. “We do appreciate these measures,” he added.

He said the issue of setting up a broad-based government in Afghanistan in post-Taliban scenario was discussed at the Blair-Musharraf meeting.

Pakistan had always supported efforts made by the United Nations and Organization of Islamic Conference for national reconciliation and a broad-based government in Afghanistan which could restore peace and stability in that country, he said.

“Our position remains that a broad-based government having representation of all segments of Afghan population could alone bring peace and stability,” he said.

He said that peace and stability which had remained elusive for the last 20 years must return to Afghanistan, which was the desire of not only Afghan people but also of Pakistan.

Mr Khan refused to comment on the statement made by Indian Prime Minister Attal Behari Vajpayee that Pakistan had unduly benefited from the campaign against terrorism.

“Indian allegation are quite familiar to us and the motivation, that is sinister from our point of view, is also quite known,” he said,

About the atrocities being perpetrated by Israelis in Palestine, he said in the longer perspective in fight against terrorism the problems which were creating an environment of injustice and desperation should be addressed. He said Palestine and Kashmir were such problems creating an environment of injustice.

“Millions of people experience, almost on a daily basis, the pain and suffering, which is inflicted by repression,” he said.

Mr Riaz parried a question that the United States had made a request for the extradition of four Palestinian hijackers involved in the hijacking of Pan Am aircraft in 1986. “I am not aware of any such request,” he said.

PPI ADDS: Pakistan would welcome if Afghanistan’s ex-monarch Zahir Shah could play any role to bring about national reconciliation, the FO spokesman said.