(2013-10-25) [This is a rush transcript. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated] The Prime Minister just concluded a highly successful official visit to the United States. The Prime Minister focused on all issues of interest and concern to Pakistan including the issues of economic growth, seeking US cooperation to solve energy problems of Pakistan, enhancing trade cooperation, social sector development, counter terrorism, regional stability and striking a balance in the bilateral relationship based on mutual respect and mutuality of benefit. The Prime Minister held separate meetings with key US officials. Besides meeting with President Obama, he met US Vice President, US Secretary of State, President World Bank, Chairman House Foreign Affairs Committee, US Trade Representative, US Secretary of Energy, and US Deputy Secretary of Defense. The Prime Minister’s separate meetings with the concerned US high officials demonstrates his endeavor to reach out widely to the US leadership to address all issues of Pakistan’s interest and concern simultaneously. The floor is now open for questions. Question Indian authorities have once again started Pakistan bashing. There are cease fire violations and there are so many other things which dispel the impression of trust between the two countries. What actually are the primal causes of this mistrust? Answer The present leadership wants good neighborly relations with India. The Prime Minister has gone to every length to send out positive signals. Therefore, continuing ceasefire violations by the Indian side at the Line of Control and at the Working Boundary are a matter of grave concern. We believe that the decision of the two Prime Ministers about the meeting of the DGMOs must be implemented immediately to resolve this matter. Question Did the two DGMOs meet as part of what was agreed in New York? Secondly, President Obama raised the issue of Mumbai terrorist attack with Mr. Nawaz Sharif. What was the response from the Pakistan side for expediting the trial? Thirdly, did President Obama give Pakistan firm assurance for no further drone strikes? Answer As for the meeting between the two DGMOs, I do not have the latest. We would like to have the meeting as soon as possible. Issues relating to counter terrorism were discussed. The Prime Minister made it clear that the issue of terrorism is of as much concern to Pakistan as for India if not more. In fact we are the victims of terrorism. The answer lies in working jointly to defeat this common enemy. On Mumbai terrorist attacks, Pakistani Judicial Commission has visited India. Based on the information obtained by the Commission, our judicial process will proceed further. On drone strikes, our position has been voiced in clear terms. We do hope that the drone strikes will end. Question In your initial remarks, you termed the visit of the Prime Minister to the US as highly successful. What are the basic yardsticks is to measure this visit as highly successful as there was no concrete commitment on most of the issues? Answer Pakistan and the United States have an important relationship, which has gone through ups and downs. In the last two years, there was a bad patch in the relations and it was important to re-set this relationship on the basis of mutual respect and mutuality of benefit. The Prime Minister raised and discussed all issues of Pakistan’s concern and interest in clear and unambiguous terms. A comprehensive framework has been evolved to build the relationship for our common benefit. The guidance provided by Joint Statement will now be followed up in all sectors. Homework will be done at the expert level in a cooperative spirit and later on at the ministerial level. The primary achievement of the visit is that a new beginning has been made by the elected leadership of Pakistan to build a relationship with the US based on mutuality of interest. Take for example the issue of energy. Pakistan and the US energy group will be meeting in November 2013 followed by a US organized Pakistani trade mission to meet US energy companies in Houston Texas. President Obama announced that US Trade Representative would invite his Pakistani counterpart to hold a council meeting of United States-Pakistan Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA). There is a wide ground covered in the Joint Statement which will augur well for boosting mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries. I just cited the energy sector because it is so much important to Pakistan. The visit was certainly successful from every angle as it would now enable the two countries to rebuild ties on the basis of mutual respect and interest, and bring it out of the distrust witnessed in the recent past. Question What are the criteria for lodging a war crime case in the International Criminal Court (ICC) if Pakistan intends to initiate a case against President Obama for killing Pakistani citizens through drone strikes? Secondly, don’t you think that the US demand to release Dr. Shakeel Afridi is interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan? Answer As for your first question, you can read the procedure for filing complaints in the ICC on their website. Pakistan and the US are not members of the ICC. We believe that the strategy that the leadership of Pakistan is pursuing is effective. It is two-pronged. We are raising it with the United States bilaterally in clear terms and at every level and we have also raised it in the international fora. In the UN General Assembly, the Prime Minister himself raised the issue, and ever since it has been raised in UN Security Council, UN Human Rights Council and other forums under various agenda items. Non governmental human rights organizations are also discussing the legality and human rights aspect of the drone strikes. The pressure is building because the point that Pakistan has been making concerns the entire international community. The drone strikes have implications for inter-state relations and peace and security of the world. There are also serious human rights and humanitarian implications. We are convinced that Pakistan’s view point will prevail. As for your question regarding Dr. Shakeel Afridi, he has violated Pakistani law and he is being tried by Pakistani courts. Pakistani courts will take a decision on this matter. Question Based on the meeting of Prime Minister with the US President and officials, what is your best hope that, with mutual consensus, the government of Pakistan will be able to come up with some amicable solution on drone strike issue and Dr. Afia Siddiqui issue? Answer On drone strikes, I have just answered. The strategy is working and we should give it sometime. Hopefully, we will have a good solution to it. The issue of Dr. Afia Siddiqui was also raised in one of the meetings. The government of Pakistan had rendered considerable help during the trial phase. Now the focus is on the transfer of offenders arrangement. Transfer of offenders means that the offender can serve the remaining sentence in his/her own country. Since there is no bilateral agreement between Pakistan and the United States on transfer of offenders, Pakistan has applied for acceding to the Council of Europe Convention. Once that process is done, it could provide a framework for further discussion on this matter. Question International pressure is building against drone strikes. My question is that for how long we will have to wait? If the pressure is built and the public opinion is against the drone strikes, why Pakistan does not stop the drone strikes at its own? Answer The present government took over four and a half months ago. Owing to a clear stand that it has taken and the efforts being made to raise this matter both bilaterally with the US and at the international forums, you can clearly see where we were and we have come on raising the level and extent of Pakistan’s concern on drone strikes. The pressure is building at the international level and within the United States. We should give some time to this strategy. We do hope that we will be able to resolve this issue. Question The Pakistani Taliban have put a condition for the negotiations that the drone strikes should be stopped. It means that till the time the strategy on drone strikes will not be formulated the negotiations with Taliban will not start. What are your comments? Answer Although it is partly a domestic matter but I will answer that because it has external dimensions. The government is moving on all tracks in tandem, not sequentially. The recommendation to hold talks with Taliban was made by the All Parties Conference and the government is taking steps in that direction. On the drone strikes issue, I have already given you details. Question A report published by Washington Post says that there was a secret deal between the Pakistan and the United States on drone strikes. What is your view point on this? Answer I would not like to comment on specific media reports citing unnamed sources. As regards claims of Pakistan's consent to the drone strikes, the government of Pakistan has made it clear that the drone strikes must stop. Whatever understandings there may or may not have been in the past, the present government has been very clear regarding its policy on the issue. We regard such strikes as violation of our sovereignty as well as international law. These are also counter-productive. In his first statement to the Parliament, the Prime Minister reiterated his strong commitment to an end to the drone strikes. There is a consensus among political parties as well as the Pakistani public on this issue. The Prime Minister has raised Pakistan's strong objection to the use of drone strikes in his meetings with senior American Government figures including President Obama during his recent visit to US. The Prime Minister also voiced these concerns during this interaction at a Think Tank (United States Institute of Peace) in Washington. The matter has also been raised in the United Nations. We hope that this issue will be resolved. Question Did the issue of IP pipeline come up during the Prime Minister’s visit to the US and what was the response of the US side? Secondly, has there been any evidence about NSA’s spying and listening the conversation of the Pakistani leaders? Answer As for your question regarding IP Pipeline, this matter was discussed. The position of the government of Pakistan was made known. It should be seen in the context of acute energy crisis that we have in our country. All options are on the table and the government is pursuing the project. The view point of the US is known to you. I don’t have to repeat, you can ask them directly. As for your second question, I don’t have the latest. I have to consult the concerned ministry. Question A briefing was given to the Pakistani journalists at the State Department last evening. It was clearly said that the US plans to continue with its policy on drone strikes. We have been hearing it for quite some time from the Foreign Office that the issue will be raised at highest level. What would be the next step that Pakistan is going to take because the highest levels have been used and we have seen the response? Answer This issue of drone strikes will continue to be discussed. There is a working group on counter-terrorism which will be meeting in the next few months. This issue will be discussed bilaterally at the expert level and ministerial level. We will also continue to push it at the international track. This strategy is working and we should give it some more time. Question Were there any secret deals with the US in the past? Please reply in yes or no. Answer I have already said what I had to say. Question Yesterday Indian Prime Minister showed his disappointment with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for failing to improve the relations between India and Pakistan. What do you think about his comments? Secondly, how do you compare the recent escalations on border with the previous escalations? It was the highest in the decade. What are your comments? Answer As for your first question, it is not appropriate for me to make a comment on the comments of Indian Prime Minister. I can only state our position. We are also very disappointed on the continued ceasefire violations by Indian forces. The timing of the recent ceasefire violations by India was also unfortunate as our Prime Minister was in the United States meeting the US leadership. In the last few days, we saw 27 attacks on our posts killing two civilians and one soldier. We believe that the ceasefire must be respected. We have absolutely no interest in creating tensions on the Line of Control. Why would we do that at a time when our own Prime Minister is undertaking an important visit to the United States? The answer lies in immediate dialogue to resolve this matter. We believe that the decision of the two Prime Ministers taken in New York for the two DGMOs to meet must be implemented on top priority in order to resolve the issue of ceasefire violations at the earliest. Question You have said that Pakistan will need more evidence from the Indian side on the Mumbai terrorist attack case. Is it for prosecuting those who are already undergoing the trial or for bringing in more people? Secondly, regarding the recent LoC violations, are you hinting that it was a deliberate attempt by the Indian side when Mr. Nawaz Sharif was visiting the US? Answer On your first question, I do not have the details. The point is that the two countries need to work together in a cooperative manner so that trials take place with proper evidence. As for your second question, I have said what I said on the unprovoked firing by the Indian side. You can ask the Indian side as to why they carried out unprovoked firing on our 27 posts recently. Our Prime Minister has repeatedly affirmed our desire to have good neighborly relations with India. Tensions along the LoC undermine the efforts for peace. We hope that the military officials can meet soon and resolve this matter. Question My question is regarding the reconciliation process in Afghanistan. What is the current status? What expectations did the US put forward to Pakistan? Was our role appreciated? US side also said that other regional countries will play a role in the reconciliation process. What view point was put forward in front of Pakistan? Answer The situation in Afghanistan was discussed with particular focus on post 2014 scenario. The US did appreciate the positive role that Pakistan is playing, particularly with regards to the reconciliation process. Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States are working together to carry forward the process of reconciliation in order to have a lasting peace in Afghanistan, which is so essential for peace and security in our region. Question Can you give us any idea that how long is the working boundary? Secondly, as per the Indian media reports, Keran post was allegedly occupied by the Pakistani militants. But they themselves found out that nothing happened there. Please share some details with us. Answer For the length of the working boundary, I will refer you to the ISPR. On Keran Post, I have seen the media reports that you have mentioned. But on our side, there was unprovoked firing in the Sialkot area as per the details given in our press release. Question There was an incident in which six civilians were wounded when Pakistani troops fired mortars and rockets overnight on sixteen Indian border posts in Jammu area. Please share some details. Answer Our troops have a policy; we will not fire first. But if our troops are fired upon, they give a responsible and effective response. Question Was the issue of talks with Pakistani Taliban discussed between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Obama? Answer I do not have specific details on this. However, I believe the US side has no difficulty with the talks. As it is, the talks with the TTP, is an internal matter for Pakistan. And this is part of the efforts to secure peace. ******************