The President will visit three regions of China that are industrial hubs of that country. The spokesman said the visit would further strengthen the time tested friendship between Pakistan and China and deepen our multi-faceted strategic and economic cooperation.

Asked about signing of any agreements during the visit, he said the details of his programme in China are being worked out but no agreement is likely to be signed. Replying to a question the spokesman said Pakistan has formally conveyed to India its response to the information provided by New Delhi on Mumbai attack. He said that Pakistan’s response to the Indian dossier on Mumbai attacks demonstrates our sincerity and commitment to fight against terrorism.

He said this reflective of Pakistan’s sincerity to bring perpetrators of Mumbai attacks to justice. He said that Pakistan’s findings clearly show that the country is serious and sincere in its investigations and hoped that India would reciprocate with the same spirit of cooperation.

To a question the spokesman said the issue of Dr. A.Q. Khan’s release on the order of the court came under discussions during talks with US Special Representative Richard Holbrooke. Pakistan told the United States that A.Q. Khan issues was a closed chapter and it was counter productive to speculate on the court judgment. Pakistan also reiterated its commitment to non-proliferation adding that necessary legislative and administrative measures have been taken to ensure effective export control and prevent possibility of proliferation.

He said the United States understands Pakistan’s position and accepts it. To another question he said Dr. Khan has no access to any strategic facility, enjoys no official status and he has nothing to do with the country’s nuclear programme any more.

The spokesman told a questioner that Pakistan was making efforts for release of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui and hoped these would yield positive results. The spokesman condemned recent kidnapping of UNHCR official from Quetta and said efforts are on for his safe release.

To a question he said relevant Pakistani authorities have yet to confirm the killing of the Polish engineer. To a question the spokesman said terms of reference of the UN Inquiry Commission into the assassination of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto were finalized in consultation with Pakistan. He said Pakistan would pay the seed money while other members of the UN would make contributions to defray cost of the inquiry. He said the amount of the seed money is being worked out.-SANA

Barrister Javed Iqbal Jaffrey presenting his arguments to the court said despite orders of the court no steps were taken by the Foreign Ministry, Interior Ministry and the Federation for the return of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui and 150 Pakistan children from the orphanages of Afghanistan. These authorities have not even bothered to submit their response, he added.

Barrister Jaffrey requested the court to adjourn the hearing till the second week of January because he is proceeding abroad.-SANA

“Being a father of two daughters and the masses’ representative I hope you can relies the situation through which Dr. Aaffia is passing”, Qazi writes to the President. He said the role of the secret agencies was “cheapest” in her case as a citizen could not be handed over to any other country beyond judicial process.

He urged the government to uncover those faces who were involved in Dr. Aaffia’s case as they sold the nation’s daughter for the dollars and she had to under go from the miserable period of her life that marked by physical and mental torture, repeatedly rapping and separation from the children.

He expressed his feared that she was kept in Chronic Depressive Psychosis in order to deprive her of the memory on the name of psychological treatment. He also demanded of the government to take steps for the recovery of her other children.-SANA

He said that the government was making all out efforts for repatriation of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui from US to Pakistan and expressed the hope that these efforts would bear fruit. He announced that her son has already been brought back to Pakistan.

He dispelled the impression that agriculture income tax was among the conditions for IMF bailout plan, neither was it a condition nor this tax was under consideration these days, FM said adding that this tax was a provincial subject. He said that IMF package was meant to fill the immediate resource gap and to pursue an economic stabilization plan. He reiterated resolve to improve ties with India saying that his visit to the neighboring country will help remove misunderstandings between the two countries.

He said that he would meet his counterpart Pranab Mukherjee and Indian leadership and bilateral issues will be discussed during the interaction. He hoped that his visit to India will help bridge the gulf and end trust deficit between the two countries and will prove fruitful in strengthening ties with India.
Foreign Minister said that it is our desire that both countries should live like friendly neighbors. He said that he will talk to the Indian leadership on water issue and added that Kashmir issue, already being a part of the composite dialogue between the two countries, will also be discussed.

About the Indian cricket team’s forthcoming tour to Pakistan, he said that the government wishes that Indian cricket squad should visit Pakistan. He added that government wants to improve people-to-people contact with India and exchange of delegations such as cultural delegations and sports teams will help improve relationships. He said that intellectuals, authors and sports persons of the two countries should have frequent interaction through exchange of delegations. Chief operating officer PCB Saleem Altaf said that Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ijaz Butt will visit to India this month.

To a question, Qureshi categorically said there was no possibility of martial law in the country stating that the government, the parliament and the armed forces have unanimity of views on national issues. People may have this view but we do not agree with it, FM said adding that we are moving forward to combat challenges with consultations and understanding.

Mehmood Qureshi disclosed that after the Jan 13-16 expert level meeting scheduled to be held in Islamabad, he will invite FoDP Foreign Ministers to Pakistan in February next to move ahead with the plan to combat economic and security challenges confronting Pakistan.

About the IMF bailout package that is expected to be approved on Nov 24, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said its approval will pave the way for more assistance from other international financial institutions like World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Islamic Development Bank besides the Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FoDP) Group and other countries.

It was interesting and heartening to note that our home-grown plan prepared by 16-member panel of country’s economic experts headed by Dr. Hafeez Pasha that has also been discussed by the federal cabinet and the talks with IMF had similarities in approach and experts believe it was the best suitable option Pakistan could avail under the given conditions, FM said.

He said that Rupee was gaining strength against dollar and capital flight has stopped and hoped that capital flight phenomenon will soon witness a reverse trend with the arrival of foreign remittances. FM said that an expert level meeting will be held in Islamabad from Jan 13 to Jan 16 during which projects will be identified and discussed in four sectors with the assistance promised by FoDP in its Nov 17 meeting in Abu Dhabi.-SANA

Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed led the delegation of the Pakistan senators and the meeting lasted two-and-half-an-hour. he has demanded of the U.S. government to immediately release Dr. Aafia Siddique. Talking to a private TV channel, after his meeting with Ms Siddique in Texas, he said that she was completely fit physically and mentally and her morale was high.

He was of the view that the US government needed to release her as they have not proved allegations against her. He said all allegations leveled against her in the past five years are false and concocted. It’s pertinent to mention here that on courts’ order she was referred to the psychological department for check-up.

The Senators’ delegation was led by Mushahid Hussain Syed, they remained with Siddique for two and an half hour, during that meeting she seemed happy and normal and thanked the government of Pakistan and the members of the delegation for visiting her.-SANA

President Asif Ali Zardari reportedly asked Afghan President Hamid Karzai on his last visit to Islamabad to release Siddiqui’s children. According to Foreign Ministry sources, Pakistani and Afghan officials met yesterday in Kabul where the Afghan government handed over custody of Siddiqui’s son Muhammad Ahmed to Pakistani authorities. Siddiqui’s 11-year-old son was with his mother when she was detained while allegedly carrying designs for explosive devices and descriptions of US landmarks in her handbag.

Ahmed was handed over to his aunt, Fauzia Siddiqui, following his arrival in Islamabad. The whereabouts of her two other children, a son and a daughter, are still unknown.

Court has been informed that Dr. Aafia was under sever mental trauma owing to her children disappearance and need to have psychiatrist for her treatment. After considering her condition the respectable court has adjourned the nearing till September 22, 2008 and also order to provide medical aid to Dr. Aafia.-SANA