On 'normalizing ties' with Israel, Pakistan says 'won’t follow' other nations

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) – Pakistan said on Thursday it "would not follow" other nations normalizing relations with Israel.

“We do not follow others, we look at our national interests,” said interim Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani on speculations about an Israel-Saudi deal, while addressing a news conference in the capital Islamabad.

Islamabad's clarification came while several Middle Eastern nations and Israel are reportedly engaged in talks to establish ties.

Explaining his country’s position on the Palestine issue, Jilani said Islamabad's stance on the Israel or Palestine issue is "very clear" and "it will remain in the future as well."

He added that Islamabad wants the right to self-determination for Palestinians as they demand for Kashmiris.

“Palestinian issue is very much part of our national interest like Kashmir,” said Jilani, calling for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters” and the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

Jilani rejected media reports that Pakistan has any intention to establish ties with Israel.

He also briefed reporters on his and interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar’s engagements in New York and said their meetings were "fruitful."

- ‘Taliban government not illegal’

Responding to reports that the Afghan interim administration has arrested some 200 Tehreek-e-Taliban-e-Pakistan (TTP) militants after an attack in Chitral earlier this month, Pakistan’s top diplomat said the Taliban have also informed Islamabad and they hope the Afghan authorities will deal with them according to law.

Asked whether his country will demand the Taliban to hand over the arrested TTP militants, he said: “If they are Afghans, we hope they (Afghan Taliban) will deal with them according to their local law.”

Jilani said Islamabad is in talks with Kabul to stop militants from using their soil.

Responding to a question about whether the Taliban government in Kabul is illegal, Jilani said: "The Taliban government is not illegal but de facto."

- Trade relations with Russia

The top diplomat said his country has trade ties with Moscow like many other countries in the world.

“Many other countries, including the European, South Asian, and Middle Eastern countries, have trading relationships with Russia. So, Pakistan has not really done anything which could be different from any other country,” Jilani said while responding to a question about oil and gas import from Moscow despite sanctions.

On Wednesday, a Pakistani official said that Islamabad has received its maiden shipment of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from Russia amid a growing gas shortfall in the South Asian nuclear country. The shipment was imported by the private sector.

- Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project

Talking about the long-stalled Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project, he said Pakistan is in talks with Iran to resolve this issue as soon as possible.

Earlier, a Pakistani Foreign Ministry official told Anadolu that Islamabad is in "constant" touch with the US administration seeking a tacit green light to the long-stalled Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project but "there are remote chances of a favorable response" from Washington.

Kicked off in 2013 and with several deadlines already missed, the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project is unlikely to meet another deadline of 2024 due to long-standing US sanctions against Tehran.

Pakistan earlier this year requested Washington for a solution to the lingering imbroglio but has not yet received any response.

- Canada-India diplomatic row

Jilani called the Sikh leader’s killing in Canada an "unfortunate incident" and said India stands exposed before the world.

Pakistan was repeatedly telling the world that India is involved in such terror attacks in Pakistan and other South Asian countries, targeting people and supporting terror groups, he said.

“Most countries in the UN expressed their concerns over the Canada incident and they demanded UN investigation,” he said.

Sikh community leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead on June 18 in Surrey, Canada’s westernmost province of British Columbia, in front of a Sikh temple.

- CPEC will continue

Pakistan’s top diplomat rejected speculations about a slowdown on the multi-billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, saying it is very important for Islamabad.

“There is absolutely no question to roll back CPEC, it is very important for Pakistan and a second phase of CPEC is going to be launched,” he said.

Responding to a government plan to deport Afghan refugees living in Pakistan, Jilani said: “It's not true, the government only arrests and deports those foreigners who are living in Pakistan illegally.”