PESHAWAR, April 23: Speakers at a conference observed that presence of US forces on Pakistan soil and arrest of Arab and Afghan nationals may spoil Islamabad’s relations with Arab and neighbouring countries.

They said growing ties between Delhi and Washington would be a threat to national security and urged the government not to provide American agencies with access to Pakistan’s institutions.

The two-day international conference entitled “Pakistan’s foreign policy: regional and international dimensions” concluded here on Wednesday at Sir Sahibzada Abdul Qayum Museum’s Hall, University of Peshawar. NWFP Public Service Commission chairman Abdullah was in the chair.

The chairperson of Department of International Relations, University of Karachi, Dr Talat Wizarat, presented her paper on Pakistan and Middle East. She said Indo-Israel nexus could be a cause of concern for both Arabs and Pakistan but, she added, such a situation could provide an opportunity to Islamabad to stabilize its ties with the Middle East.

Dr Wizarat argued that the presence of FBI agents in Pakistan and arrest of Arab nationals could complicate Islamabad’s relations with Muslim countries, including Iran and Afghanistan.

The director-general of Institute of Strategic Studies, Dr Shireen Mazari, in her paper “New strains and future prospects for bilateral relation”, said the so-called Islamic terrorism, revival of Northern Alliance in Afghanistan and growing US-India relations would affect Islamabad’s relations with Washington.

Dr Mazari said Washington had yet to fulfil its commitment to increase textile quota for Pakistan.

A former ambassador, Dr Maqbool Ahmad Bhatty, presenting his paper on “Pakistan’s relations with China and Japan”, said China was most positive asset for Pakistan foreign policy. Beijing, he said, was providing financial and technical assistance to make Islamabad self-reliance.

He said Japan was a major economic power and its role could not be ignored in strengthening economy.