ISLAMABAD, Feb 15: Federal Information Minister Sheikh Rashid has asked the United States to respect the sentiments of the Muslims against attack on Iraq.

Talking to journalists at the airport on Saturday, where he received the first PIA flight carrying Hujjaj from Jeddah, the minister said that the government had not taken a decision whether or not to support United States against Iraq.

He was responding to a suggestion by a reporter that as a result of Friday’s briefing to President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali at the Foreign Office the government had taken a decision to support the United States on Iraq.

The minister said Pakistan was liaising with other non- permanent states of the United Nations Security Council.

Replying to a question as to whether the constitutional matters like the LFO would be discussed during the forthcoming National Assembly session, he said: “The issue of Iraq was on top of the present-day agenda which is expected to dominate other debates.”

He said that Pakistanis along with the Muslims al over the world were extremely anxious as they did not want a war in the region, adding that Mr Musharraf’s telephonic talks with President Bush, French President Chirac and other world leaders were in line with Pakistan’s policy to avert war. He denied that Pakistan was being coerced into joining the US war on Iraq.

Mr Rashid said that an OIC summit was very much on the cards and if held it would discuss the gravest issue that the Muslim world had ever faced.

The minister confirmed the reports about the expansion of federal cabinet after Senate polls but did not agree with a suggestion of a reshuffle in the portfolios of existing ministers.