Pakistan offers services for dialogue b/w US, Iran to reduce current row

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The Foreign Office (FO) has said Pakistan has offered its services on many occasions for dialogue between the US and Iran to reduce the current tension in their relations. At his weekly news briefing on Thursday, Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal stressed the need that the international agreement on Iran must be upheld and misgivings should be removed through negotiations.

Iranian FM to visit Pakistan tomorrow

He also confirmed that Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif is arriving in Islamabad this afternoon for talks with Pakistani leadership. The visiting dignitary will hold talks with his counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi tomorrow. He said Pakistan is concerned over the grave situation prevailing in the Persian Gulf and during talks with his Iranian counterpart, the foreign minister will have a detailed discussion on it.

FO condemns Indian’s illegal detention of Hurriyat leaders

On Kashmir dispute, the foreign office spokesperson said there cannot be any change in the status of Kashmir without plebiscite in the territory as per the UNSC resolutions and aspirations of Kashmiri people. The spokesperson denounced Indian atrocities in Indian-held Jammu Kashmir and illegal detention of Hurriyat leaders. He said India instead of misleading international community on Kashmir dispute should accept ground realities and aspirations of the people of Kashmir.

FM himself will soon brief about meeting with Indian counterpart

Commenting on the brief interaction between the foreign ministers of Pakistan and India on the sidelines of SCO meeting in Bishkek, the FO spokesperson said that Foreign Minister himself will soon give a statement on it.

Some good progress in negotiations with Japan for export

To a question, Dr Muhammad Faisal said there has been some good progress in negotiations with Japan for export of skilled manpower to that country.

Pakistan asks US, Iran to exercise restraint

Earlier, Pakistan urged the US and Iran to exhibit restraint and resolve the issues that have ratcheted up tensions between them through negotiations, Radio Pakistan reported. Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal termed the recent developments in the Persian Gulf as disturbing. He said Washington's decision to deploy an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Gulf has added to the tension[s] and the existing precarious security situation in the Middle East. "Any miscalculated move can transmute into a large scale conflict," the FO spokesperson was quoted as saying.