Foreign Secretary Riaz Ahmed Khan told sub-committee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday that Pakistan wants Kashmiris should be given the right to self-determination.
Answering queries of the sub-committee he said Pakistan supports resolution of Kashmir dispute as per aspirations of Kashmiri masses and its stance on this long-standing issue was unambiguous.
He dispelled the impression given by certain quarters that Pakistan government has changed its old stance on Kashmir. Responding to a query from Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, he said that presently 200 prisoners are in Indian jails.
He informed the committee that our diplomats have met all of them in jails and the government will take appropriate measures for their early release.
He said following improvement in bilateral relations with India, both countries exchanged over 400 prisoners last year. About deportation of Pakistanis from Gulf States he said that now the Middle East countries preferring locals instead of foreigners in employment, so unskilled Pakistani labour is finding it difficult to retain their jobs.
He pointed out that foreign ministry and the government of Pakistan always approaches various countries and requested them to import Pakistani labour force.