Islamabad: Pakistan has ruled out any possibility of a US’ role in resolving its outstanding issues with India as it clearly stated that both Islamabad and New Delhi should endeavour to “take ownership of their own affairs” without the interference of any third country.
Without naming the United States, Foreign Office spokesperson Tehmina Janjua said in a media briefing: “We do not need a third country for us to take ownership of our own affairs.”
“Prime Minister (Yousaf Raza) Gilani (in his meeting at Mohali) said that both Pakistan and India, as two important States in South Asia, must endeavour to take ownership for their affairs, with a view to advancing the objectives of stability and peace in our region and fulfilling the aspirations of the peoples of South Asia for progress and prosperity,” The News quoted Janjua, as saying.
Speaking about the Mohali meet, she said that Gilani had an opportunity to have a “friendly conversation” on the state of Pakistan-India relations and the world situation.
“He conveyed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Madam Sonia Gandhi and the people of India warm greetings of the President and people of Pakistan. The Premier expressed his satisfaction on the resumption of the dialogue process and expressed the confidence that this process will be ‘uninterrupted and uninterruptible’,” she added.
On a query regarding a Pakistani judicial commission going to Mumbai to meet Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the spokesperson replied: “There are two things. First, there is the Judicial Committee dealing with prisoners, which will meet in Pakistan on April 19-23.”
“Dates will be worked out through diplomatic channels and these will be conveyed to us by the Indian side in four to six weeks. At the same time, Pakistan has conveyed its readiness to receive the Commission from India on Mumbai attack investigations on this basis. The Commission coming from India will talk to investigators dealing with the issue,” she added.
Responding to Pakistan’s earlier note verbale given to India in February, in which it was said that Pakistani laws do not allow the visit of such a Commission, Janjua clarified that the principles evoked in the joint statement released after the meeting of the interior secretaries of both countries are that of “comity and reciprocity”.
ANI
