Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that Kerry-Lugar Bill serves Pakistan's interests by promoting country's relations with the sole superpower, which holds its influence on all the international financial institutions, the UN and other organisations and their policies.
Talking to a private television channel late Wednesday night the minister said that the challenges that Pakistan was facing at present also necessitates cordial relationship with America. He said the KLB now stands part of the US legislation after it was unanimously adopted by the Congress.
The US President while signing this bill had stated that US wants a long-term partnership with Pakistan and it was under this intention the US has allocated an amount of Rs 7.5 billion from the tax payers money for the socio-economic development of Pakistan. Qureshi said that earlier when this bill had been adopted by the Congress it was criticised in Pakistan and then the leadership of the country designated him to convey all these reservations to the US leadership.
"I then raised these concerns there and made them sign a document, which interprets this law. It shows the intent of the US Congress", Qureshi said adding he has produced that document before the political and military leadership of the country, and has explained it before both the Houses of the Parliament. Responding to a question with regard to Iran's concerns in the wake of suicide bombing there the Minister said, one needs to look into the background of Pakistan's relationship with Iran.
During the previous dictatorial regime our relations with Iran were put on the back burner, as the then government was fearful that while getting close to Iran they could face the wrath of the Americans. After the restoration of democratic order, the elected government re-analysed the situation and decided to improve the mutual ties between the two countries.
The Minister said that the President and he, himself, paid visits to Tehran. Pakistan did not back out from the international gas pipeline project like Indian and a process of trilateral dialogue. "We also told America that Iran is our neighbour having its boundaries with Afghanistan as well, and Pakistan cannot dissociate itself from Iran", he said.
He said the Iranian leadership was perturbed about 'Jandullah', and after having heard their reservations Pakistan government dispatched its intelligence chief as well as the Interior Minister to Tehran adding "we even arrested and handed over their wanted men. We had also arrested Abdul Regi, the brother of Abdul Malik Regi, who is much talked about these days. Now we are telling them that we are prepared to cooperate even further after this unfortunate incident".
Asked why the finger is raised only against Pakistan when such unfortunate incident takes place in India, Afghanistan or Iran the Minister said, one would have to explore the entire history of these issues. It didn't happen overnight. It is related to our history of at least three decades. There are many think tanks who claim that the epicentre of terrorism lies in Pakistan.
"Whatever we deem ourselves is another issue but we have to focus our attention on the international perception about us. We have to live in this world and have to interact with the international community. We would have to locate a room for us in this global village and would have to improve our image", he added.
He said that during the past one and a half-year the Pakistan's leadership had tried to improve its relations with Afghanistan and eased an era of tension with Karzai and Afghan administration. It had also tried to promote the relations with Iran and China. The country was trying to improve its relations with India but this effort was marred due to the incidents of terrorism in Mumbai. To a question about the reports of India's involvement in Balochistan situation, the Minister said.
"We have "certain things" with us in this regard and we have shared them 'with few entities' and we want to get it settled through the diplomatic channel. To another question he said the US aid worth $7.5 billion pledged to Pakistan under Kerry Lugar bill is only the economic aid, therefore question doesn't arise that economic aid is used for the military purposes.