Islamabad, Mar 28: Pakistan on Sunday dismissed reports that the country would be sending 500 of its Naval troops to Iraq next week.
"There is no truth in the report," Pakistan's Defence Spokesman Maj Gen Shoukat Sultan said when asked about the report in a local daily 'The News' that the country would be sending 500 of its naval troops to Iraq next week.

"The first contingent of the Pakistan Navy consisting of 500 troops will leave for Iraq in the last week of March. Most of the troops will be taken from navy," the report quoted an unnamed official as saying.

However, the Pakistani contingent would not take part in combat mission. It would only take part in relief activities and patrolling within the Iraqi sea limits, the official said, adding the contingent would include some doctors for medical relief operations.

The report comes on the heels of the US Secretary of State Colin Powell announcing the American decision to designate Pakistan as a major non-NATO ally.
The newspaper also said that US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is scheduled to visit Pakistan shortly. Bureau Report