Gilani to meet Indian counterpart in Sharm-ul-Sheikh: FO

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the Egyptian tourist resort of Sharm-ul-Sheikh on July 16 on the sidelines of Non-Aligned Movement summit. “The two leaders will hold talks over the composite dialogue and bilateral issues,” said the Foreign Office Spokesman Abdul Basit at weekly briefing here on Thursday.

He said the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries will also meet on the sidelines of NAM summit.

Giving details of exchange of prisoners’ lists between Pakistan and India, the spokesman said Pakistan has provided a list of 576 Indian prisoners in Pakistani jails to Indian officials, but the Indian authorities have not yet provided the list of Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails.

The spokesman said under the agreement the two countries have to exchange the lists of the prisoners on July 1 and January 1 every year and there is breach of bilateral agreement by India for not providing the list of Pakistani prisoners in India jails.

Replying to a question about resumption of Pak-India dialogue process, he said it is necessary for both the countries, that they should restart the stalled peace process to resolve the disputes.

The spokesman said, “We still believe that it is absolutely necessary for the two countries to return to the negotiating table because without talking to each other it will be simply impossible to resolve the issues that the two countries are facing.”

Replying to another question he said, “As we have been saying that Pakistan has been conducting investigation into the Mumbai attacks with full seriousness and we are proceeding systematically.”

He said, “India knows well about this. We have been saying that while Pakistan does want the resumption of the Composite Dialogue it should not be construed as a favour by one country to the other.”

The spokesman said, “Dialogue process is in our mutual interest and that of our region.” He hoped India would realize this.

Replying to a question on Kashmir situation, the spokesman said the struggle for the right to self-determination cannot be brushed aside indefinitely.

He said Amnesty International has also recently written to the Indian Home Minister urging the Indian Government to bring the grim situation to an end.

The spokesman said it is high time India honor its commitment to the international community and let Kashmiris to exercise their right to self-determination.

Pakistan is committed to extend all possible diplomatic and moral help to the people of Jammu and Kashmir enabling them to fulfill their aspirations for freedom and self-determination, he added.

On the issue of new ambassador to Paris, the spokesman said former Ambassador to Paris, Ms. Asma Anisa has returned to Pakistan and government is in the process of sending a new envoy to France.

Replying to another question, the spokesman said UN had launched an appeal for $ 543 million in May for the help of IDPs and so far the UN Agencies have received $ 196 million.

They have urged countries to expedite the release of their pledged donations for the dislocated population, he added.

But he stressed that irrespective of whether or not Pakistan receives the donations, the Government and people of Pakistan are committed to look after these people within available resources, however meager they may be.

Giving details on Pakistani family arrested in Saudi Arabia, the spokesman said, “Our request with the Saudi Government for consular access is still there. We are working on that and our missions are actively pursuing this request but as of today we do not have any response from Saudi authorities.”

He said, “We hope that our mission would be allowed to have consular access to these Pakistanis as soon as possible.”

Regarding the mandate of the UN Commission formed to probe into the assassination of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, the spokesman said its mandate is to determine the facts and circumstances of her assassination.