Characterising the policy of European countries as it stood today as “a new sort of economic imperialism”, the Minister said Pakistan believed in the principle of “buy from us and sell to us without any restrictions”.

Asked about the prospects of the formation of an Asian Common Market, Mr Wahiduzzaman said the matter was still being examined by different countries. He further pointed out that even countries like Australia and New Zealand were not happy over the situation arising out of British policy on ECM (European Common Market).

Asked if the Pakistan Government proposed in negotiations with the governments of India and Ceylon to chalk out a common approach to ECM, he said that stage had not come as yet.

The Minister said Pakistan believed in having trade relations with every country which showed willingness to buy its manufactured goods on reasonable terms. He expressed his unawareness of the details of the Soviet offer to purchase Pakistani goods, adding that if [the] Soviet Union was prepared to have our manufactured goods in good quantity, “we will welcome it”.—Correspondent

Indian charge refuted KARACHI: Diplomatic observers here yesterday dismissed as “pure fabrication” the report carried by The Times of India in its Feb 4 issue, charging Pakistan fictitiously with stepping up a campaign to divide the people of Afghanistan. A similar expression was used by these observers when their attention was drawn to a recent Indian Express report saying that Pakistan was “angling for a foothold” in the Maldives Islands in the Indian Ocean. …—Staff Correspondent