Pakistan refuses to give military bases to US

ISLAMABAD, Jun. 09 (YPA) – Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmud Qureshi said Islamabad had refused to grant Washington military bases, Pakistan Today reported.

Responding to a US media report on bases in a South Asian country for operations in Afghanistan, Qureshi said Pakistan wants a stable Afghanistan, but there are some elements who do not want peace in the region.

“We want to see the peace process going forward along with the withdrawal of troops. The world does not consider Pakistan part of the problem.”

The foreign minister categorically stated that Pakistan has refused to give military bases to the US and added that he has told all the political parties in a briefing that they have no such intention. “Search for bases could be their wish. There’s no question of giving them bases as we have to see our interest.”

Commenting on a report by a prominent US newspaper, the head of Pakistani diplomacy said that it may be an expression of their desire, but it cannot even be talked about allowing them to work from Pakistan, because we must bear in mind our own interests.

The New York Times reported Monday that the United States continues to focus on Pakistan as a military base in the region, although some U.S. officials believe the negotiations are currently deadlocked.

E.M