LAHORE, March 21: Prime minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali does not intend to call off his scheduled visit to the US in spite of the commencement of the US-led attack on Iraq.

This was indicated by Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad while speaking at a press conference here on Friday.

The minister said Pakistan regretted the US-led coalition’s decision to invade Iraq and bypass the UN Security Council. However, he said, the prime minister’s visit was scheduled months back and could not be cancelled.

He said: “Mr Jamali would be the first leader to be received by the new Chinese leadership” when he lands there before proceeding to the US.”

Answering a question, the minister said the “Iraq attack would leave a far-reaching, negative impact on the world”. He said the Pakistan government had “categorically opposed the attack on Iraq at all international forums”.

“We had also subtly conveyed to the US that we would not be able to support its plans of launching a attack on Iraq. It was our stance that encouraged many other states to take a pro-Iraq stand,” he insisted.

He was sorry to note that the National Assembly could not pass a unanimous resolution in support of Iraq. But he blamed the MMA for the failure of the National Assembly to produce a resolution.

He said the government would not spare any effort to evacuate Pakistanis working in the Gulf states if the need for that arose.

In reply to a question, he said Pakistan was neither Iraq nor Afghanistan. Therefore, those talking about Pakistan’s turn after Iraq must stop saying such irresponsible things.

He said he himself was surprised to see that Pakistanis took a long time to come out on to the streets to express their sympathy with the Iraqis. He said the protest demonstrations staged around the world, especially in the US and Europe, had helped bridge the gap between the western and Islamic cultures.