Pakistan not to take sides in disputes between Muslim countries, says FO

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office said on Thursday that Pakistan would not take sides in bilateral disputes between Muslim countries. “We do not interfere in bilateral disputes or differences. Our effort, as part of OIC and Muslim Ummah, is to help reduce issues and tensions if we can in any way. We do not interfere and we do not take sides,” FO Spokesperson Tasneem Aslam said at the weekly media briefing. Her comments followed remarks by Bahrain Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa at his media conference that Bahrain had discussed dispute with Iran in talks with Pakistani leadership during the visit of King of Bahrain to Islamabad. The spokesperson said that policy of neutrality was being followed in all disputes between Muslim countries whether it’s Iran’s problems with Arab countries or the intra-Gulf Cooperation Council rows. Pakistan, she emphasised, always tried to play “constructive role” in disputes involving the Muslim countries. “Pakistan has always been a force for unifying the Muslim world and not a divisive force.” Ms Aslam clarified that Bahrain had not asked Pakistan for mediation with Iran. However, she said, when Muslim countries raised issues with other Muslim countries, Pakistan government always advocated their resolution “through dialogue and peaceful means”. She said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was scheduled to visit Tehran before June, but exact dates were being worked out. “We have had very close ties with Iran and with the Gulf,” she added. MESHARNO JIRGA: The spokesperson denounced Afghanistan’s upper house of parliament – Mesharno Jirga – for belittling Pakistan’s sacrifices in war against terrorism. “We express our deep dismay and disappointment over the unfounded allegations levelled at Pakistan in the statement of Afghanistan’s Meshrano Jirga of 19 March 2014. The world knows how seriously Pakistan has suffered from the scourge of terrorism and extremism over the past three decades, emanating primarily from the conflict and instability beyond our borders,” she said and added that over 40,000 civilians and security personnel had rendered “ultimate sacrifice” in the fight against terrorism. “Any attempt to depict Pakistan as other than a victim of terrorism is a travesty that we completely reject. It is disconcerting that such injurious statements be made at a time when sincere efforts are under way to turn a new page in the bilateral relationship with Afghanistan,” Ms Aslam said. Meshrano Jirga had while expressing concern over reports of the US decision to hand over its military equipment to Pakistan after drawdown from Afghanistan had described the decision as a breach of agreement in ‘war on terror’. It had called on US to avoid giving weapons to a country that, it alleged, supported terrorism. GUANTANAMO BAY: The Spokesperson said five Pakistani citizens were currently being held at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. They were identified as Saifullah Piracha, Majid Khan, Ghulam Ahmed Rabbani, Muhammad Ahmed Rabbani and Ammar Ali Balochi.