National News

ISLAMABAD, (APP): Pakistan on Thursday said it remained
open for dialogue with India for the resolution of mutual issues
whenever India would be ready for it.
“We remain open for dialogue. Pakistan will be ready for talks
when India will be ready,” the Foreign Office Spokesman said in a
weekly press briefing held here at the Foreign Office.
Spokesman Nafees Zakaria said Pakistan considered dialogue as
the best way to resolve issues with India and had taken several
initiatives in the past.
In response to Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s recent
statement, the Spokesman said no wedge could be drawn between the
civil and military leadership of Pakistan as latter was committed
to democratic process.
“The Armed forces remain committed to support democratic
process in Pakistan,” he said when asked to comment on Modi’s
statement where he said it was hard to decide whom to talk to in
Pakistan on peace process – whether to the democratically elected
government or ‘other actors’.
The Spokesman said people of Pakistan took great pride in the
armed forces for their services and sacrifices for the country.
He said strengthening people-to-people contacts with India was
important, for which the two sides had been making efforts.
He said Pakistan encouraged promotion of religious tourism
with India and to facilitate Hindus and Sikhs to visit their holy
sites in Pakistan.
On return of Afghan refugees, the Spokesman said the deadline
for their stay in Pakistan had been extended to December 31, 2016.
He said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had graciously offered to
provide every possible support to the Afghan refugees till their
respectable return to their homeland and integration to the Afghan
society.
He mentioned that over three million Afghan refugees were in
Pakistan at present, with half of them registered with the
government.
Zakaria said Pakistan wanted the Afghan government and the
UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) to engage in
a serious dialogue for the repatriation of refugees.
Whether the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) was ‘alive
or dead’ following the drone strike that killed the Afghan Taliban
leader Mullah Akhter Mansour, the Spokesman said all member
countries remained committed to ensure peace in Afghanistan.
He said Pakistan was sincerely committed to play role as
facilitator for Afghanistan’s sustainable peace.
The Spokesman said the US Senator John McCain, who is also the
Chairman of Senate’s Armed Forces Committee, would be shortly
visiting Pakistan.
Asked if the issue of subsidy on F-16 fighter aircraft would
come under discussion with the Senator, the Spokesman said the
Pak-U.S relationship was broad-based and must not be looked through
the prism of F-16s only.
On membership of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the Spokesman
said Pakistan considered that it fulfilled the criteria and
credentials of membership on merit.
He said during the NSG meeting held in Seol, Korea on June 23-
24, Pakistan’s stance for non-discriminatory and criteria-based
approach was recognized by several member countries in their
discussions.
He said Pakistan would consider about applying for the Missile
Technology Control Regime when the “time would be right”.