National News

ISLAMABAD, (APP): Pakistan has all credentials to become member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group and it is absolutely essential for the NSG to consider the Indian and Pakistani applications simultaneously and even-handedly.
Foreign Office Spokesman Nafees Zakaria said while addressing the weekly briefing here on Thursday at Foreign Office.
“Pakistan will continue to highlight its strong credentials
and pursue NSG membership based on non-discriminatory and objective
criteria. Several NSG countries look upon NPT as the cornerstone of
the nuclear non-proliferation regime. We believe that the reality of
non-NPT nuclear states has to be accommodated,” he said.
He said it has been Pakistan’s consistent position that the
question of NSG membership for non-NPT states must be dealt in
accordance with a single, uniform, non-discriminatory and on the basis of fair criteria.
Responding to a question about Afghan delegation recently visited Islamabad, he said during the visit of Afghan delegation to Pakistan both
sides have agreed to develop a mechanism for effective border
management and remove the communication gap.
He said the matter would also be discussed during the meeting of Advisor to Prime Minister Sartaj Aziz and Afghan Foreign Minister on the sidelines of the ongoing Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summitt being held in Uzbekistan.
However, he said Pakistan’s stance in this regard was very
clear that it was constructing gate within its own territory and
border management was a key component of country’s counter-terrorism
drive.
The Spokesperson reiterated that Pak-Afghan border had been
misused by the unwanted elements and real objective behind its
management was to reduce the infiltration.
To a question about repatriation plan of Afghan Refugees, he said Pakistan hosted 3.5 million Afghan refugees and besides having its implication on national economy even some of the refugee camps had become a security risk.
He said Pakistani authorities were taking up the matter with
world community urging them to extend support for return of these
refugees.
About Pakistan-India ties, the Spokesperson said Pakistan’s
government was pursuing a policy of friendly ties with all
neighbouring states including India. However, Pakistan had time and
again raised the issue of human rights violation in Occupied
Kashmir.
To a question, he said the arrest of Indian spy Kulbhushan
Yadav was a solid evidence of Indian involvement of terror financing
in Pakistan, adding that Pakistan’s concerns were genuine.
About Pak-India dialogue, he said no pre-conditions could be
linked with the resumption of bilateral dialogue.
Responding to a question, Nafees Zakaria said all the members
of Quadrilateral Coordination Group were making efforts for
establishment of peace in Afghanistan; however, an Afghan-owned and
Afghan-led solution would prove the best in this regard.
He said amidst QCG’s efforts, a Taliban leader was killed whom
they were trying to bring to the dialogue table.
About the development of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the
Spokesman said all the projects under this umbrella were going on as
per schedule. The Corridor would prove beneficial not only for the
people of Pakistan and China but also for the whole region.
He also ruled out the impression of any communication gap
between Pakistan and China over CPEC.
To a question, he said Pakistan had taken up the issue of non-
payment of wages to around 110 Pakistani workers in Dammam, Saudi
Arabia. The company had assured to pay their dues once its financial
position improves, he added.