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'Pak. ready to meet any challenge'

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD MARCH 31. Pakistan said today that it did not see any `imminent danger' from India, but maintained that the people and the armed forces of Pakistan were ready to meet any challenge.

The Foreign Office Spokesman, Aziz A. Khan, was responding to a question if tension between India and Pakistan would rise following the recent killing in Jammu and Kashmir of Pandits, at the weekly press briefing.

``There doesn't seem to be any imminent military threat. However, the Pakistani people and the armed forces are fully capable of meeting any challenge,'' he said. Pakistan had already deplored the killings in the Kashmir Valley and had repeatedly offered dialogue with India to settle all outstanding issues. "The region cannot afford tension,'' he said.

Regarding the public demand for withdrawal of military facilities extended to the United States during the Afghanistan crisis, he said the facilities were only for `rescue' operations. Mr. Khan said issues such as the Shahbaz airbase at Jacobabad should be addressed to the Defence Department.

Asked whether the Foreign Office was in contact with the departments concerned on the issue, he said the Government decided about such matters and all departments abided by it. About his reaction to the condemnation by the PML-Q to the U.S.-led attack and whether there was some change in Pakistan's policy vis-a-vis Iraq, he said there was little he could add to the Prime Minister's statement released earlier.

Mr. Khan said Pakistan wanted an immediate end to the war and wanted the issue to be settled through peaceful means. The spokesman responded in the negative on whether Pakistan would expel Iraqi diplomats.

About the notion of pre-emptive strikes, he said Pakistan did not support the doctrine and believed that all disputes needed to be resolved through the United Nations. On Pakistan's role in its efforts to bring an end to the war in Iraq, he said diplomacy always had a role and there was always time to resolve issues through talks.

He said "the United Nations has to play its role,'' adding Pakistan was also involved in discussions at the Security Council. Pakistan, he said, was exploring all avenues to send humanitarian aid to the Iraqi people. He, however, said that at the moment the situation was such that it was not possible for the aid to pass through. Asked whether Pakistan would support a U.S.-installed Government in Iraq, he said "we will cross the bridge when we come to it.''

On new dates for the visit of Afghanistan's interim President, Hamid Karzai, to Pakistan, he said these were being worked out. He said Mr. Karzai had expressed his keen desire to visit Pakistan at the earliest.

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