FO gives cautious response to new US visa policy

The Foreign Office on Thursday gave a cautious response to new visa policy of Trump administration imposing travel ban on seven Muslim countries, saying countries need to adopt policies that are not susceptible to be exploited by entities wishing to see cracks in the coalition against terrorism along religious lines.
"While, it's every country's sovereign right to decide its immigration policy, however, such decisions are not without humanitarian and political dimensions that need to be looked at and considered in going forward. Countries would be well advised to adopt policies that are not susceptible to be exploited as propaganda tools by entities wishing to see cracks in the coalition against extremism and terrorism along religious lines," Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said while responding to media queries in his weekly briefing.
When his comments were sought on the comments by a White House official who hinted that the ban could also be extended to other countries including Pakistan, Zakaria said that Pakistan and the US have longstanding and cooperative relations in diverse fields and "we look forward to further strengthening these ties."
US President Donald Trump, through an executive order on January 27, 2017, banned citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US for at least the next 90 days, followed by a hint dropped by a senior White House official that it is likely just a first step towards establishing a broader ban.
He also rejected the media reports pertaining to Kuwait's visa restrictions on Pakistan as baseless and also censured Pakistan's former Ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani for re-tweeting a news item regarding the visa restriction which, according to him, was five years old.
"It is highly regrettable and deplorable that a person who was honoured to represent Pakistan has been indulging in activities that would hurt Pakistan's national interests," he said referring to the former ambassador.
"Unfortunately, he [Husain Haqqani] is doing all this at a time when the world is increasingly acknowledging Pakistan's growing economic potential in the wake of tremendous improvement in the security situation, investor friendly policies and strengthening of democratic institutions. The more Haqqani does such malicious and unethical acts, more he exposes his character," Zakaria added.
He further maintained that Haqqani has not only lost respect among Pakistanis but also among those who attach importance to values.
To a question, the spokesperson took a strong exception of the statement by his Indian counterpart on Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed's house arrest, adding India should take corrective measures for itself rather than commenting on the affairs of other countries.
He said that Pakistan has taken all actions against proscribed outfits and terrorist elements without any discrimination in the larger national interest and in line with international obligations as well as National Action Plan. "Our commitment to eradicate the scourge of terrorism from its roots is beyond doubt," he added.
He said there are irrefutable evidences that Indian state actions are involved in perpetrating terrorism in Pakistan. He reminded that Indian state institutions also carried out terrorism on Indian soil and blamed it on others. He said Pakistan's efforts against terrorism have also been acknowledged at the world level.
To another query regarding India's decision to increase defence expenditures by 10 per cent, he said that Pakistan is opposed to any conventional and nuclear arms race in the region. He said Pakistan is maintaining minimum deterrence for its self-defence. He described the Indian arms buying spree as a threat to region, adding Pakistan does not want to indulge in any arms race.
On the Afghan situation, he said it has been steadfast policy of Pakistan to have strong relations with Afghanistan, adding peace in Afghanistan is in the interests of Pakistan.
"We believe there is no military solution to the Afghan problem and the way forward is a politically negotiated settlement," he said, adding Pakistan has been making efforts towards bringing the Taliban to the table of negotiations with the Afghan government.
However, he declined to comment on a media report which claimed that Taliban are seeking to open their political office in Islamabad.
The spokesperson also stated that Pakistan will host 13th ECO (Economic Cooperation Organisation) Summit on March 01, 2017. The Summit will be preceded by the meetings of the senior officials and Council of Foreign Ministers. The ECO, which comprises 10 members, has its roots in RCD (Regional Cooperation for Development), he added.
Zakaria also expressed concerns over the ongoing human rights violations in Indian Occupied Kashmir, saying India is trying to change demography of Occupied Kashmir and the international community should take notice of the development.
He said that the UN and the world community have an obligation and should make vigorous efforts for the resolution of outstanding Kashmir dispute. This is vital to ensuring peace and stability in the South Asian region, he said.