(2013-06-27) [This is a rush transcript. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated] Opening Statement In order to facilitate the general public, the Foreign Ministry is taking a number of steps to improve attestation of documents in our Consular Section and our camp offices at Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta. In this regard, a number of courier companies have been authorized to receive documents for attestation from the Ministry and its camp offices in provincial headquarters. The details are being publicized through our press release and website. Now the floor is open for questions. Question There are some reports that British Prime Minister David Cameron would be visiting Pakistan next week. There are also unconfirmed dates of his arrival in Pakistan. Would you confirm the dates and agenda of his talks with Pakistan? My second question is that Army Chief is visiting Sri Lanka. Is it with the consultation of Prime Minister Office and Foreign Office and what is the agenda of his visit to Sri Lanka? Answer As for your first question, I am not in a position to confirm the visit. On your second question, I would revert to you with the requisite information. Question US Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan Mr. James Dobbins held extensive discussion with Prime Minister, Chief of Army Staff and Advisor to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs. What did he share specifically about the ongoing dialogue process in Doha? Have these talks been formally undertaken or still held up because of President Karzai? Answer Mr. Dobbins called on the Prime Minister and met with our senior officials. He briefed the Prime Minister on developments relating to bilateral relations as well as efforts to promote peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. The Prime Minister affirmed Pakistan’s full commitment to an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process and highlighted various steps Pakistan had taken in the regard. The Prime Minister also stressed the need for Pakistan and the United States to remain closely engaged. On the exact status on Doha talks, I do not have latest information. As a matter of policy, Pakistan considers these talks as an important step towards national reconciliation in Afghanistan. Question Government of Pakistan has asked its embassy in Switzerland to arrange for a lawyer and to initiate the Swiss cases. Do you confirm that? Secondly, there are some reports that second letter was written by the government to cancel these cases. Was that letter sent through the Foreign Office? Answer Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not handling the processing of the case. I would refer you to Ministry of Law, Justice, and Human Rights, for more information. Question What do you think about the Diamer incident, do you think that there is some foreign hand involved or do you consider it as an act of terrorism? What is the update on the identification of the slain tourists? Answer The leadership and government of Pakistan have strongly condemned the terrorist attack on tourists in the Northern Areas. Those who have committed this heinous crime cannot succeed in disrupting the growing relations of Pakistan with China and other friendly countries. The leadership and people of Pakistan have an unflinching resolve to fight terrorism in all its forms. Our law enforcement authorities have intensified their efforts to apprehend the culprits. As you are aware, there were ten tourists who fell victim to the terrorist attack: 2 Chinese, 1 US national, 3 Ukraine, 2 Slovak, 1 Lithuania, and 1 Nepal national. The Government is making expeditious arrangements for transportation of dead bodies. The dead bodies of the Chinese tourists left this morning by a special aircraft. Minister of State for Petroleum Jam Kamal Khan and Director General of the Foreign Ministry dealing with China have gone with the bodies as a mark of our respect. The other aircraft going to Europe will be accompanied by the concerned Director General of the Foreign Ministry. Question Would you like to share with us Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif’s official visit to China and Afghanistan in the month of July? Answer Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif will be visiting China in the first week of July. Exact dates are being worked out. As for Prime Minister’s visit to Afghanistan, there is no visit planned as yet. Question Would you confirm the visit of Secretary of State John Kerry to Pakistan in the first week of July? Answer The visit of Secretary Kerry was postponed due to developments in the Middle East. New dates of the visit are being worked out. Question The Planning Minister visited China to prepare for Prime Minister’s visit? Can you brief us about this visit and agenda particularly the1000 MW nuclear power plant that will be established in Karachi? Answer The Minister for Planning and Development, Mr. Ahsan Iqbal, accompanied by the Special Assistant to Prime Minister on foreign affairs, Mr. Tariq Fatemi, visited China as part of preparations for Prime Minister’s visit to China. Pakistan and China have a broad-based cooperative relationship. An important focus of Prime Minister’s visit to China will be economic. As for civil nuclear cooperation, it is an area of ongoing cooperation between China and Pakistan. Question Don’t you think that the Diamer incident is a result of foreign agencies involvement like Indian Intelligence agency and CIA? They have close links with militants in the Northern Areas. What are your comments? My second question is regarding Dr. Imran Farooq’s murder case. Has British government approached Foreign Office for the handing over the culprits arrested by FIA and are under interrogation in Pakistan? Answer On the unfortunate incident in Diamer, intensified investigations are underway. We do hope that the culprits will be soon apprehended and brought to justice. As for your second question, I do not have any information regarding this matter. Question A travel advisory has been issued by the US to their nationals about the presence of Afghan Taliban, Al-Qaida militants and indigenous sectarian groups in Northern Areas of Pakistan. What are your comments on this? Answer The law enforcement authorities and armed forces of Pakistan have been making utmost efforts to ensure peace and security in all areas of Pakistan. The government remains committed to ensure the protection of foreigners as well as our own people. As for your reference to the presence of militants on our soil, it is not the purview of Foreign Ministry. I will refer to you to the Ministry of Interior for this matter. Question The Foreign tourists who have been transported from Northern Areas to Islamabad are concerned about their luggage. They also feel insecure in Islamabad. What arrangements have been made for their stay in Islamabad and return to their countries? Secondly, some foreign tourists want to stay in Pakistan despite problems of documentation. As per their statements, they are being forced to leave Pakistan. What are your comments? Answer I will refer you to Ministry of Interior which is making necessary arrangements on the issues raised by you. Question Soon after meeting with James Dobbins, the Prime Minister of Pakistan made a phone call to President Karzai. Was there some message that US wanted to convey to President Karzai through Pakistan and not directly? Answer Pakistan and Afghanistan are engaged at different bilateral levels. Prime Minister’s phone call to President Karzai is a part of our regular leadership level consultations with Afghanistan. I do not know what message you are referring to. The United States has its direct channels with Afghanistan as well as with Pakistan. The three countries also have trilateral mechanism to coordinate. Question US has appreciated Pakistan’s role in Doha process. Now US say that talks are held up because of Taliban and not Karzai. Is Pakistan in touch with the Taliban leadership to start the talks? Answer Pakistan has contributed by facilitating the Doha process and we have affirmed our commitment to consider all possible measures that we believe would contribute to the reconciliation process in the larger interest of peace in Afghanistan. Question There was a statement from Kabul asking Pakistan to release all Afghan Taliban prisoners. How do you react to this? Answer As I just said, Pakistan will facilitate and consider all steps which we would deem necessary to further the reconciliation process in Afghanistan. Question What do you mean by facilitation? Are you providing the transportation facilities to Taliban from here to Doha? Will Mullah Baradar be released to participate in the talks? Answer Pakistan extended its facilitation to Doha process by stressing to all stakeholders the need to hold dialogue to reconcile their positions in the interest of bringing lasting peace to Afghanistan. Question Recently some journalists have been asked to leave Pakistan. What are your comments on this? Answer I will refer you to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for this. Question In connection with Doha process, DG ISI visited Washington and held meeting with CIA Chief. Was Foreign Office taken into confidence by DG ISI regarding this visit? Answer Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other state institutions of Pakistan coordinate closely on foreign policy matters. As for this particular visit that you are referring to, I do not have any information. Question There are some Taliban leaders which are in custody of Pakistan but have presence at Doha. They are facilitated by Qatar government as well as former DG ISI Mr. Pasha. They are maintaining close contact between US as well as Afghan Taliban. How do you see that? Secondly, the deadline given by the Saudi authorities to Pakistanis i.e. 3rd July 2013 is coming to an end. What would be the future of those Pakistanis who have not been able to get any status in Saudi Arabia? Answer As for your first question, Pakistan has facilitated and will continue to facilitate the reconciliation process in Afghanistan. As for your second question, we have kept you informed of the efforts made by our Embassy and Consulate to help Pakistanis regularize their stay in Saudi Arabia and to help illegal workers to leave the Kingdom before expiry of the grace period on 3 July 2013. Efforts are also afoot to have the date extended. Question Pakistan has done great efforts for the reconciliation process. Are we planning to talk with TTP to meet our internal security challenges? Answer The government of Pakistan believes in dialogue and talks. As for talks with TTP, this being an internal matter, I would refer you to the Ministry of Interior. Question Joint Business Council between India and Pakistan is meeting soon. Both countries are also in process of reviving the dialogue process. Is there any update on that? Answer The present government has expressed its desire to improve relations with all our neighbors including India. The trading communities of the two countries have been in touch with each other. As you are aware, the previous government had given its commitment on MFN by the end of 2012. However, this did not happen because of absence of agreement on issues such as creating a consensus among stakeholders within Pakistan and persuading the Indian government to remove non tariff barriers. This effort will continue with a view to ensuring that the two countries are able to establish a normal trading relationship. Our Ministry of Commerce is seized of thematter. ********