New York: Pakistan is contemplating
appointment of veteran diplomat and former foreign secretary
Riaz Mohd Khan as its special envoy on Indian affairs, Foreign
Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Saturday.
"Yes, we are considering very senior former diplomat,
former foreign secretary - a gentleman called Riaz Mohd Khan,"
Qureshi told a news channel referring to reports that Pakistan was
to name a special envoy for informal talks with India.
Khan held the post of Foreign Secretary from 2005 to 2008
and retired from it citing personal reasons.
Qureshi`s remarks came on the eve of his crucial talks
with External Affairs Minister SM Krishna on the margins of
the UN General Assembly session in New York, during which the slow
progress made by Islamabad in probing the Mumbai attacks is
expected to be the focal point.
India has suspended the composite dialogue with Pakistan
since the Mumbai attacks in November last year and linked its
resumption to Islamabad taking action against the perpetrators
of the 26/11 strikes.
"We, as a government, want good neighbourly relations
with India. (But) that does not mean we don`t have issues with
them. We do have outstanding issues and we want them
resolved," Qureshi said.
On Pakistan`s fight against militancy, he said, "We are
committed to this fight, to protect our country, to protect
democracy and to protect the value system that we subscribe
to."
When pointed out that the US felt that Pakistan was
reluctant to take action against the leadership of Afghan
insurgency based on its soil, Qureshi said "No, we are not."
"We are not picking and choosing. We feel that terrorists
are terrorists and there are no good and there are no bad
terrorists," he said.
Bureau Report
