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Pakistan rejected US pressure on Shakil Afridi: Sartaj  

By Web Desk
May 03, 2016

ISLAMABAD: Advisor to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz has said that Pakistan has rejected US pressure to hand over Shakil Afridi, the doctor who helped trace Osama bin Laden, to the American authorities.

Addressing a seminar on "Pakistan's non-proliferation efforts and strategic export control system" here Tuesday, Sartaj Aziz said, “For US Shakil Afridi is a hero but for Pakistan he is a criminal. Pakistan has rejected pressure to hand him over to US.”

The advisor said Pakistan’s nuclear programme is highly secure and capable to respond to all possible threats.

Sartaj Aziz said Pakistan is committed to nuclear security and has been proactively engaged with the international community to promote nuclear safety and security.

Pakistan’s command and control system is as per the rules of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), he said and added that Pakistan supports non-proliferation.

Aziz expressed concerns over US-India civil nuclear deal.

Commenting on the financing for the purchase of F-16s from US, Sartaj Aziz said, “If we managed to arrange funding Pakistan will receive the consignment.”

To a question, the Adviser said the quadrilateral coordination group is in contact with the Qatar office of Taliban for the revival of peace process in Afghanistan.