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Pak to decide on sending troops to Iraq after consultations
Islamabad, June 29: Amid threats by the Islamist Alliance to socially boycott Pakistani troops if they were deployed in Iraq, Islamabad has said it would decide on the request of US and Britain to send two brigades of its Army for peacekeeping operations in Baghdad after consultations with Muslim countries.
Islamabad, June 29: Amid threats by the Islamist Alliance to socially boycott Pakistani troops if they were deployed in Iraq, Islamabad has said it would decide on the request of US and Britain to send two brigades of its Army for
peacekeeping operations in Baghdad after consultations with Muslim countries.
"We do not want to see our troops being misconstrued as an occupational force instead of a force for stability that has come to serve the people of Iraq," Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri told reporters yesterday.
Elaborating on recent assertions by President Pervez Musharraf that Pakistan is considering the requests to deploy its forces in Iraq, Kasuri said Islamabad preferred a UN cover to send troops and is holding consultation with Muslim countries to decide on the issue.
Musharraf, who is currently visiting US, said President George W Bush made the request to deploy Pakistan troops for operations in Iraq and his government is considering various aspects including the financial implications involved in deployment of troops.
"Consultations with brotherly Muslim countries have started in line with the request made by the United States and the United Kingdom to send two brigades of Pakistan Army to Iraq. But we would like that the Pakistani troops be deployed along with other Muslim countries," Kasuri said.
Islamist Alliance Mutthaida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) leaders have said they would not hold any Pakistani soldier killed in Iraq as "martyr" and would ostracise their families besides holding protests.
Kasuri, however declined to answer questions whether Pakistan government would refer its decision to send troops to Iraq to parliament as demanded by opposition parties.
On a question whether Pakistan felt threatened by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's recent visit to China, Kasuri said: "Pakistan does not see any danger from Sino-Indian relationship and views it as a source of stability in the region".
Saying that Pakistan and China have a long-standing partnership, he said the two countries have deeprooted relations that would never be affected by such moves.
Without referring to US rejection of Pakistan's request to supply F-16 fighter aircraft, Kasuri claimed Musharraf's visit to US was a diplomatic success of Pakistan's foreign policy over India as New Delhi lobbied against supply of arms to Pakistan.
He said the visit proved that Pakistan was not alone in the world.
Kasuri said the three billion dollars aid package announced by bush would help boost the national economy and defence, adding part of the US aid was also meant for defence needs of Pakistan which would help to reduce "conventional disparity" of arms with India. Bureau Report
Elaborating on recent assertions by President Pervez Musharraf that Pakistan is considering the requests to deploy its forces in Iraq, Kasuri said Islamabad preferred a UN cover to send troops and is holding consultation with Muslim countries to decide on the issue.
Musharraf, who is currently visiting US, said President George W Bush made the request to deploy Pakistan troops for operations in Iraq and his government is considering various aspects including the financial implications involved in deployment of troops.
"Consultations with brotherly Muslim countries have started in line with the request made by the United States and the United Kingdom to send two brigades of Pakistan Army to Iraq. But we would like that the Pakistani troops be deployed along with other Muslim countries," Kasuri said.
Islamist Alliance Mutthaida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) leaders have said they would not hold any Pakistani soldier killed in Iraq as "martyr" and would ostracise their families besides holding protests.
Kasuri, however declined to answer questions whether Pakistan government would refer its decision to send troops to Iraq to parliament as demanded by opposition parties.
On a question whether Pakistan felt threatened by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's recent visit to China, Kasuri said: "Pakistan does not see any danger from Sino-Indian relationship and views it as a source of stability in the region".
Saying that Pakistan and China have a long-standing partnership, he said the two countries have deeprooted relations that would never be affected by such moves.
Without referring to US rejection of Pakistan's request to supply F-16 fighter aircraft, Kasuri claimed Musharraf's visit to US was a diplomatic success of Pakistan's foreign policy over India as New Delhi lobbied against supply of arms to Pakistan.
He said the visit proved that Pakistan was not alone in the world.
Kasuri said the three billion dollars aid package announced by bush would help boost the national economy and defence, adding part of the US aid was also meant for defence needs of Pakistan which would help to reduce "conventional disparity" of arms with India. Bureau Report