ON BOARD PM’S SPECIAL PLANE, Aug 8: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that Pakistan is against nuclear proliferation by any country and its nuclear programme is under a strict command and control regime. Talking to journalists on board his special flight to Japan, the prime minister said that Pakistan was a declared nuclear power and its atomic programme was not covert.

Pakistan had conducted nuclear tests following nuclear detonations by India, he said. In reply to a question, the prime minister said Pakistan favoured a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula. Mr Aziz said his visit to Japan and Hong Kong was part of Pakistan’s ‘Look East’ policy, and was aimed at projecting the country as the ideal place for investment and seeking investment and transfer of technology. He said his Japanese counterpart, Junichiro Koizumi, invited him to visit Tokyo when he visited Islamabad four months back to keep the momentum of cooperation between the two countries.

The prime minister said that philosophically Pakistan was a free trade country that placed no trade restriction on any country except India, with which it wanted progress on resolution of all issues, including Jammu and Kashmir. He said that Pakistan believed that the peace process with India was irreversible but everything had to move in tandem and both countries should make progress on all issues. “We just cannot wish away the Kashmir problem,” he added.

Responding to a question, Mr Aziz said that Pakistan’s stand on UN reforms was not against Japan or any other country but was based on the principle of equality, democracy, justice and fairplay. He said the Japanese leadership was fully aware of Islamabad’s stance on the issue.

Responding to another question, he said the two-day Pakistan-India talks on commercial and economic cooperation beginning on August 9 were being held under the ongoing composite dialogue on confidence-building measures.

Asked to comment on Pakistan’s response to six new Indian proposals for enhancing commercial and economic cooperation, including permanent opening of borders for trade, transit facility for Indian goods to Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics, he said that Pakistan would look into them. However, he said progress on economic issues was linked with progress on political issues, including Kashmir.

Asked why was Pakistan optimistic about the peace process when India seemed inflexible on Baglihar and Kishanganga hydropower projects, the prime minister said the Baglihar dam issue had to be resolved through the World Bank-appointed neutral expert.

He said that Pakistan’s commissioner on Indus waters Syed Jamaat Ali Shah had submitted his report after inspecting the Baglihar dam site, which would also be submitted to the neutral expert.

Responding to a question about the $7.4 billion Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project, he said there were indications that India was still interested in the project, but even if it did not join the project, Pakistan would go ahead. But they are coming back on board, he added.