Time for world to ‘do more’ for Pakistan: Aizaz

WASHINGTON: Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry on Thursday said the time to ask Pakistan to do more was over and now the world will have to do more for it.
Speaking at a press briefing here, he said Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’s visit to the US was aimed at strengthening bilateral ties.
He said cooperation on nuclear safety and security related matters would continue between Pakistan and the US. He, however, made it clear that no deal would be struck with the US on nuclear issues.
Chaudhry said Nawaz Sharif had informed the US authorities that Pakistan had fought the war on terror facing many challenges.He said the premier had also exchanged views with the US authorities on Pakistan-India relations and the Afghan situation.
The foreign secretary said documentary evidence of Indian meddling in Pakistan had been provided to the US Secretary of State John Kerry, while dossiers would also be provided to India whenever the two sides established contacts.
He said the National Security Adviser (NDA) Sartaj Aziz had handed three separate dossiers over to John Kerry on Indian involvement in subversive activities in Karachi, Fata and Balochistan.
Chaudhry said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Kerry discussed a host of issues with particular focus on the Pakistan-US relations, concerns about India and the Afghan reconciliation process.
To a question, he said that the reason for sharing dossiers with the US was to inform the international community about Pakistan’s stance.To a query about Pakistan’s maintenance of nuclear capability, Aizaz Chaudhry said nuclear weapons were meant to serve as deterrence in the face of any threat from India.
Commenting on Afghanistan, he said: “We want the Afghanistan situation to improve. We want to see peace there. And we will play our role to facilitate the Afghan peace process.”The foreign secretary said the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project did not come under discussion during the meeting.He said $1.9 billion dollars had so far been spent on the ongoing military operation Zarb-e-Azb.