Missile strikes against Pak sovereignty: FO

TrendPK.com
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office Spokesman Abdul Basit Tuesday said the missile strikes on Pakistani soil stands in contradiction with the country’s sovereignty.

Talking to TrendPK TV, the FO spokesman said the Parliament is re-visiting the terms of engagement with the US and NATO after the US attack on Salalah’s security check posts in Mohmand Agency on November 26, which left 24 Pak troops dead. TrendPK

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Nisar holds Govt responsible for killings of 3 citizens

Opposition leader Ch. Nisar Ali Khan on Wednesday held responsible the federal government for the killings of three Pakistanis in Lahore by Raymond Davis as it was issuing visas to everyone.

On point of objection in the National Assembly, he has said that Presidency, Foreign Office, ISI and Pakistani embassy in the US suggest for issuing visas to foreigners. Nisar said that a US diplomat indicated that federal government was ready to expatriate Davis but Punjab government wasnt ready to do this.

Munter rings Nawaz, shares grief and sorrow over Lahore incident

Breaking News

United States envoy to Pakistan Cameron Minter has telephoned PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif late Saturday and shared with him his feelings imbibed with utter grief and sorrow over Lahore incident wherein two Pakistani men were shot dead by a US consulate official and another man was trampled to death by a US consulate car, trendpk.Com reported.

During the telephonic conversation, US envoy urged Nawaz Sharif that Pakistani government should give US diplomat, Raymond Davis, under US custody because Davis possesses immunity under diplomatic relations being an employee of US consulate.

Declining US envoys demand, Nawaz Sharif replied that loss of three precious lives of Pakistani citizens had deeply hurt entire nation, adding that only court could come up with ultimate judgment on the issue.

I cant do anything as the matter is currently being heard in court, Nawaz concluded.

Earlier, Pakistan foreign office had said that US citizen Raymond Davis has no diplomatic immunity because he is not an official of US foreign office but he is a part of technical and administrative staff in the US embassy in Islamabad.

Pakistan seeks details of Samjhota bombing probe

Pakistan said on Monday to go ahead with the investigations of gruesome incident of Samjhota Express. Indian deputy high commissioner was summoned to Foreign Office in this regard. Foreign Office DG South Asia Afrasiyab informed the Indian deputy high commissioner that media reports were being surfaced on Samjhota Express incident but India didnt inform Pakistan about the investigations of the incident which was occurred in 2007. He emphasized that India should inform Pakistan about the incident as soon as possible.Meanwhile, foreign office spokesman Abdul Basit said, It took almost four years for the Samjhauta Express investigations to come to this pass. We can only hope that no further time will be squandered in bringing the criminals to justice.

2 white Britons ‘killed fighting for Al Qaeda’ in US drone strike

Two British men who were fighting alongside Al Qaeda militants in Pakistan have been killed in a drone attack, it was learnt.

The two men are believed to have been white converts to Al Qaeda who changed their British names to Islamic ones after becoming radicalized. They died five days ago when a Hellfire missile was fired from a remote controlled American drone in the town of Datta Khel.The reports are confirmed, the two men would be the first white British converts to have been killed in the area.The militants were aged 48 and 25 and had been using the pseudonyms Abu Bakr and Mansoor Ahmed. It is believed one of the men was originally called Steve. They were in a vehicle with two other fighters when they were hit by the missile. It is not known whether they were crossing the border into Afghanistan. Details of their deaths are slowly emerging following the missile strike on the Pakistan and Afghanistan borders.It was reported that the pair had entered the area last year and had travelled to north Waziristan in the lawless tribal belt bordering Afghanistan to join Al Qaeda.The Americans believe that there are around 2,000 militants in the area. These are the ones that are targeted by drone attacks because they are deemed the most dangerous.A Foreign Office spokesman said: We are aware of media reports of the death of two British nationals in Pakistan.Our High Commission in Pakistan is seeking further information on these reports. In September another British militant called Abdul Jabber, who was from Birmingham and of Asian descent, died in a drone attack in the same area.

German, French envoys summoned to Foreign Office over anti-Pakistan remarks

Ambassadors of Germany and France were called in the Foreign Office and a strong protest was lodged with them over the statements made against Pakistan by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and frence President Sarkozy.

According to Foreign Office spokesperson, Today, the Foreign Office conveyed the Government and the people of Pakistan’s disappointment separately to the Ambassador of France and the German Charge d’ Affaires (CdA) in Islamabad at the reported remarks by President Nicolas Sarkozy and Chancellor Angela Merkel relating to Pakistan following their meeting with the Indian Prime Minister in New Delhi and Berlin, respectively.

It was underlined that Pakistan enjoyed excellent relations with both France and Germany and that bilateral cooperation in all areas had lately been on the increase. Pakistan is, therefore, surprised and disappointed at the reported remarks made by the two leaders, he added.

The German CdA said that the Chancellor’s remarks had been misquoted. He assured that her remarks were not Pakistan specific, the statement added.

In a joint press conference with visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday, the German chancellor while talking about the terrorist attacks against India said Berlin would take up the terror issue with Islamabad. We want to do whatever we can to make it clear to Pakistan that terror cannot be a means to solve the political problems. We will make it clear to Pakistan that terror is unacceptable, said Merkel.

US and UK fears over Pakistan nuclear weapons: WikiLeaks

US and UK diplomats feared Pakistan’s nuclear material could fall into the hands of terrorists, the latest leaked classified US diplomatic cables reveal.

The documents, released by Wikileaks, warn that Pakistan is rapidly building its nuclear stockpile despite the country’s growing instability.
There is also scepticism about whether Pakistan could cut links with militants. There is no chance … for abandoning support for these groups, said then-US ambassador Anne Patterson.

The Pakistan government, she added, saw militant groups as an important part of its national security apparatus against India.

In one of the latest cables to be released by Wikileaks, senior UK Foreign Office official Mariot Leslie told US diplomats in September 2009 that Britain had deep concerns about the safety and security of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons.

In another cable seven months earlier, Ms Patterson told Washington: Our major concern is not having an Islamic militant steal an entire weapon but rather the chance someone working in government of Pakistan facilities could gradually smuggle enough material out to eventually make a weapon.

Another cable concerning a US intelligence briefing in 2008 said: Despite pending economic catastrophe, Pakistan is producing nuclear weapons at a faster rate than any other country in the world.
The US also expressed concern about tensions between the powerful Pakistani army and President Asif Ali Zardari.

Pakistan rejects foreign pressure on Pak-Iran gas project

Staff Report

KARACHI: Urging a peaceful solution for Iran’s nuclear issue, Pakistan on Wednesday voiced its opposition against military action.

In a chat with Trend Pk, Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said that the government will never allow anyone to use Pakistani soil for an attack on Iran.

He said that Pakistan will not accept pressure from the United States or any other country on Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project.

The project, he said, is in the interest of Pakistan and it will continue. Trend Pk

Saudi prince’s letter being verified: Foreign Office

Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said that a letter written by Saudi Prince was being verified to confirm its authenticity.

Commenting on Indian desire to become member of Nuclear Suppliers Group, he said, Pakistan strongly believes that there should be level playing for the two countries. He said Pakistan has been insisting to get the same treatment by the international community on civil nuclear cooperation that has been made available to India.

Replying to a question about American Presidents visit to India, the spokesman hoped that it would help contribute towards peace and stability in South Asia.

The spokesman said the United States also understand how important Jammu and Kashmir issue is for peace and stability of the region.
The spokesman told a questioner that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was in the process of establishing authenticity or otherwise of the reported letter of the Saudi Prince to the Chief Justice of Pakistan regarding acquisition of accommodation for pilgrims in the holy land.

FO takes notice of 16 missing persons of Mandi Bahau ud Din

After the news telecast on Dunya News, the Foreign Office (FO) of Pakistan has taken notice of the 16 missing persons of Mandi Bahau ud Din. The spokesman of the foreign office Abdul Basit has said that the Pakistan embassy in Oman and other concerned authorities are being contacted in this regard.
Talking to the media personnel during the weekly news briefing in the foreign office, the spokesman said that during the last few months hundreds of Pakistani have been brought back from Oman who reached there illegally however he said that he did not know about these 16 missing persons. The spokesman also said that India is not serious in continuing the composite dialogue and is insanely accusing ISI. After the Samjhota Express incident, India abruptly accused ISI for being involved in the incident however later the accusation proved wrong.
Abdul Basit said that being unsuccessful in getting civil nuclear technology from the USA could not be called a failure. He also briefed the media that Pakistan hopes that the US President, during his visit to India, would discuss the matters of regional security and stability.

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