ISLAMABAD, Feb 21: The government said on Saturday that it would not hand over to the United States those arrested in the country.

"Whether they are Pakistani nationals or foreigners, if arrested in Pakistan, they will not be handed over to the US," said an Inter-Services Public Relations spokesman.

"Those arrested will be dealt with in accordance with the law of the land and any action against them will be carried out by Pakistani security agencies within the country," the spokesman said in a statement.

He contradicted a news item attributed to ISPR Director-General Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan regarding handing over of arrested Afghan nationals to the US.

He said Pakistan's policy on the issue was clear and the army adhered to it.

He said the US had been carrying out an operation against the Taliban and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and the coalition forces would never enter Pakistan.

Pakistan army would conduct any such operation on its own soil, he said.

Those arrested during the operation, whether Pakistanis or from any other country, would not be handed over to the US, he said.

Any action against them, he said, would be taken in Pakistan by the security agencies of the country.-APP