The Foreign Office on Thursday said that a special investigation team is likely to visit India shortly in connection with the Pathankot terror attack to collect evidence. Foreign Office spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah while responding to media queries during his weekly briefing said the two sides are in touch regarding the visit of the special investigation team constituted by the Prime Minister.
He said that Pakistan had condemned the Pathankot terrorist attack. "Since the time, India approached us, we have extended full cooperation," he said. To a question about former CIA Director Michael Hayden's book "Playing to the Edge" in which ex-ISI chief General Shuja Pasha has reportedly admitted ISI's role in the Mumbai attacks, the spokesperson said that the Mumbai case is subjudice and additional evidence is awaited from India to help conclude the trial. "I have no comments to offer on an individual's account, which he made in a commercial commodity," he added.
Responding to a query about any progress on sharing the Samjhauta Express terrorist attack investigation report by India, he said that Pakistan's stance on the Samjhauta Express terrorist attack is well known and the authorities have taken up the issue with India many times, asking them to share the outcome of their investigations with Pakistan.
"However, they have not done so. We have reminded them repeatedly to take action against Swami Aseemanand, an RSS activist and mastermind of the terrorist attack on Samjhauta Express in which many Pakistanis lost their lives," he said, adding Aseemanand had confessed to his crime and also testified about involvement of active service Indian military officer, Colonel Purohit in the terrorist attack.
He said that Pakistan has asked India to take action against these individuals and bring them to justice. "Many Indian leaders had assured us regarding sharing of the investigation outcome but this has not been done," he added. Asked about the expected meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with his Indian counterpart in Washington next month, he said there was no such proposal on the table.
About reported pre-conditions for resumption of Kabul-Taliban peace talks, he stated that it was decided with consensus that the talks under the Quadrilateral Co-ordination Group (QCG) process will be without pre-conditions. He further said that all Taliban groups have been invited for the direct talks with the Afghan government.
About any precautionary measures to pre-empt any move by 'spoilers' within the Afghan government to derail the peace process, he said that all four countries namely Afghanistan, Pakistan, the US and China that constitute the QCG have a joint responsibility to move the reconciliation process forward and make a direct dialogue between Afghan government and various Taliban groups and others possible.
He said it was realised that peace in Afghanistan is very important for the regional stability and progress. At the 4th QCG meeting in Kabul, he said the implementation of the roadmap agreed during the third round was reviewed and all the four countries reiterated their commitment to the reconciliation process and invited all Taliban and other groups to the negotiation table.
To another question about any role of India and Russia in the Afghan peace process, he said that the quadrilateral process is continuing satisfactorily and progressing well. "The process came into existence in December 2015 and four rounds have already been held by now. All the four countries have expressed their satisfaction with the quadrilateral process," he added.
Commenting on the US State Department spokesperson's statement on alleged "safe havens" and the provocative statements by India's defence minister, he stated that Pakistan's policy to eliminate terrorism within the country and our immense sacrifices have been acknowledged by the international community, including the US leadership. He said that Pakistan has announced the final phase of operation Zarb-e-Azb, which is a manifestation of our firm resolve and determination to eradicate the menace.
"Pakistan's sacrifices are unparalleled having lost more than 60 thousand innocent citizens, including more than 5000 valiant soldiers and law enforcement personnel, who laid down their lives in the fight against terrorism. Therefore, there should be no doubt about Pakistan's total commitment to eliminate terrorism," he said.
He further said that terrorism is not only Pakistan's problem but also of the region and the world, at large, for which all we need is to cooperate with each other. About the expected visit of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to Pakistan, he said that after the Prime Minister's recent visit to Tehran, now the Iranian leadership's visit to Pakistan is contemplated for which both sides are working out mutually convenient dates.
Commenting on Stockholm Institute's recent report that India is the largest arms importer in the world, he said Pakistan seeks peace in South Asia and it is against any arms race.
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