ABU DHABI, Jan 25: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali on Saturday night said that there was no change in Pakistan’s foreign policy and the government was now in place to safeguard the country’s interest.

“We can safeguard our honour,” he said and added that Pakistan would not let anyone interfere in its affairs.

Reiterating his government’s slogan, “Pakistan first”, he urged the Pakistani community to support the government irrespective to their political affiliations.

“I am a Baloch, but I am Pakistani first,” he said.

He said, he would not make false promises, and was open to criticism.

“We are trying to set new standards of decency and tolerance,” he said.

About the UAE, the prime minister said it had done a lot for Pakistan in the fields of health, education and oil.

He told the Pakistani community that he was on a working mission. “We have very close ties with the Gulf States and, as friend we felt it was our duty to knock every door and discuss the situation with regards to Iraq and other issues.”

The PM reduced the fee of computerized national identity card from US$25 to $15. The new card will be valid for 10 years, he announced.

He also announced allocation of seats in the educational institutions for overseas Pakistanis in every province.

He also informed them that PIA service would be restored from UAE to destinations in Balochistan .

Answering a question he said his government had not imprisoned any politician.

The ambassador in his address said that the embassy had launched home remittance promotion scheme before 9-11, which helped the sudden fall after the nuke test to rise again.

He added that the expatriates from the UAE had sent $470 million to Pakistan in the second half of 2001.

Over half a billion dollars have so far been remitted this year, he added.

Later Prime Minister attended a dinner hosted by Minister for Higher Education and Scientific Research Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al-Nahyan.

—APP