Date:20/04/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/04/20/stories/2003042007560100.htm

Front Page

U.S. offer to Pak.

Islamabad April 19. The U.S. has asked Pakistan to join a "stabilisation force" which Washington is setting up for peacekeeping duties in Iraq.

The peacekeeping force would have troops from several Muslim countries because U.S. authorities believe that their presence would help pacify the Iraqis without hurting their religious feelings, local daily Dawn quoted officials in Washington as saying.

The State Department said that it was setting up such a force but refused to disclose the names of the countries invited to join the force, the paper said.

— PTI