Pakistan to share strategy with Afghanistan for peace in Tribal Belt
By Maria A Khan 'Pakistan Times' Diplomatic Correspondent

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday said it will share with Afghanistan the strategy it adopted in bringing peace and stability to its tribal areas.

Foreign Minister Khurshid M Kasuri will discuss with his Afghan counterpart, measures to strengthen bilateral ties and apprise him of Pakistan’s strategy in bringing peace to the tribal areas, when he meets him in Kabul from Dec 7-9.

“It is not that the Foreign Minister will tell them what to do, but will apprise him how we went about it and why it was successful,” Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam told reporters at the weekly briefing.

She said Pakistan will like to see peace in Afghanistan as in addition to the military operation the country requires a comprehensive strategy for reconstruction and revival of economic activity.

The spokesperson said the two foreign ministers will also follow up on what transpired during the discussion between President General Pervez Musharraf and President Hamid Karzai during the Iftar-dinner hosted by President George W Bush at the White House.

“They will also discuss how to reactivate the traditional institution of jirga, to promote peace and to bring down violence in the bordering areas,” she said.

When asked about Pakistan’s position on the outcome of NATO summit on Afghanistan, Ms Aslam said Pakistan has clearly articulated what it expected from the International Security Force in Afghanistan (ISAF) and now NATO.

About sending of Pakistan’s de-mining mission to Lebanon, the spokesperson said it was awaiting response from the UN peacekeeping mission.

She said the offer was made under a bilateral arrangement in response to a request by the Lebanese Prime Minister and the mission will work in coordination with the United Nations.

The UN already has deployed de-mining teams and will inform us when our teams are required, she added.

About the number of Pakistani prisoners in foreign jails, she said there were 36 in Sri Lankan jails, of which two were convicted on drug charges. For the rest the Mission has provided interpreters and their cases were being pursued.

Ms Tasnim Aslam, however rejected that the release of the Briton Tahir Mirza was due to some pressure. She said his case was already under review, evident from the twice postponed death sentence.

“The President exercised his right to grant pardon,” she added.

Kasuri to visit Afghanistan on Thursday

Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri will pay a three day visit to Afghanistan from Thursday to hold talks with the Afghan leadership on different issues including bilateral relations.

This was stated by the Foreign Office spokesperson Ms Tasneem Aslam in her weekly briefing Monday afternoon.

She said Pakistan wants peace in Afghanistan for that a comprehensive strategy is needed which must have political reconciliation, economic reconstruction apart from military action.

Besides bilateral relations, Kasuri will discuss with Afghan leadership Pakistan’s strategy it is following in Tribal Areas and hoped that something on similar lines could be developed in Afghanistan.

He will also discuss the holding of jirga and the activation of this traditional institution to bring down violence and promote peace in Afghanistan.

She also referred to President Pervez Musharraf’s suggestion about the Marshall Plan for the betterment of Afghanistan particularly in South and South East Afghanistan. She termed the forthcoming visit of the Foreign Minister to Afghanistan which is part of regular contacts between the leadership of the two country, very important.

To a question, She we had offered to send a contingent of demining in response to a request from Lebanese Prime Minister. In that context it is bilateral arrangement.

The UN has already started the demining action and they have divided the whole area into four zones and deployment has taken place. She said Pakistan is in touch with UN and informed them of ours readiness to provide a contingent for demining and we were informed that in the process of rotation they will let us know when our troops will be required. It would be in the coordination with the UN.

To a question, she said the verdict of the neutral expert of the World Bank on Baglihar project is expected in February next year.

To an other question, she said the recent visit of the Chinese President to Pakistan is well coordinated and the Chinese leadership was very happy on the hospitality extended to them.

Answering a question, she said there are thirty-six Pakistani prisoners in Sri Lanka. Of these thirty-four are under trial in different cases while two of them have already been convicted. She said Pakistani mission in Colombo has made arrangements for interpreter for the prisoners to facilitate them in court’s proceedings.

To a question, she said the visits of Prince Charles and British Prime Minister Tony Blair to Pakistan were part of our regular discussions on bilateral relations and other issues and have nothing to do with the release of British origion Pakistani Tahir Hussain.●