IP gas line project: US didn't threaten Pakistan, says Hina

Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar on Thursday reiterated Pakistan's commitment to pursuing Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project, saying Islamabad was not threatened by Washington with economic sanctions in this regard. Speaking to media persons at Foreign Services Academy here, Khar said she had previously talked on the matter as Pakistan was facing serious energy crisis and to overcome this it could not afford to be selective.
"We never received any threats (from Washington) and there was no mention of economic threats (in pursuing the IP gas project)," she replied to a question. Khar reiterated Pakistan's desire to have better relations with the world, including the United States.
To a question regarding visit of the top US military commander, she advised media "not to jump to make news rather than wait for what the news is." She said the government in the beginning said the Defence Committee of the Cabinet has decided to block the Nato supply - the land route and was stopped which is still shut.
About the reopening of the Nato supply and US ambassador Cameron Munter's meeting with newly appointed Foreign Secretary Syed Jalil Abbas Jilani on Wednesday, Khar said the US officials do talk about the Nato supplies. "If General James Mattis is appearing before the committee (US Senate Armed Services Committee) and telling the panel that he would talk about the Nato supplies. Why don't they talk on Nato supplies - they have the right to talk about," she said, and added that the government has already declared that any decision in this regard would be taken by the parliament. "This is crystal clear that any decision on reopening of the Nato supplies will be taken by the parliament," she added.
Commenting further on General James Mattis statement who told US Senate panel that he would be travelling to Pakistan in 10 days, Khar said they (US officials) might be expecting that our parliamentary review process would be finalised within next week or two.
She, however, said that Parliament was in the process of reviewing Pak-US relations and a date will be announced for summoning the joint sitting of the parliament. It is expected within a week to get the process approved. She said it was the biggest achievement of the government to give the public ownership to the country's foreign policy.
She further said the trade route under the Afghan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA), which suffered due to the Nato supplies closures, have now been restored which was our responsibility. With Afghanistan, Khar said Islamabad has always sought co-operative relations with Kabul, which should not be superseded by our issues with the US and Nato.
She said having state-to-state relations and people-to-people ties with Afghanistan was most important for Pakistan, as our president and prime minister have categorically stated that Kabul is the most important capital for us. Khar said a stable and peaceful Afghanistan was in Pakistan's interest. "We will support the roadmap for the stability whatever the Afghans themselves want for them but not be imposed by us or anybody else," she declared. She said, "We would have to give Afghanistan the respect that we desire for ourselves."
In response to a question, the foreign minister warned that there would be catastrophic impacts on the region including Pakistan if Iran was attacked. She, however, said attack on Iran would neither take place nor be allowed.
To another query about relations with Russia, she said Islamabad was enjoying good ties with Moscow and the new Russian president would visit Pakistan within this year. Responding to another question regarding the resolution in US House of Representatives on Balochistan, she said the US has repeatedly refused to own the resolution moved by some individuals and stated it is Pakistan's internal matter.
Earlier, briefing Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs on the Balochistan resolution, the Foreign Minister said Pakistan's Ambassador to the US Sherry Rehman would write a letter to the US Congress regarding the Senate Committee's reservations over the resolution, which she said was unacceptable for Pakistan.
The committee members also expressed serious concern over the move in the US regarding Balochistan issue and termed it interference in Pakistan's internal affairs. Khar also told the panel that US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton had assured her that the US policy regarding Pakistan had not changed.
She informed the committee that the recently held Trilateral Summit among Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran provided an opportunity for substantive discussions on co-operation in energy related projects including IPI gas pipeline, increasing rail and road links and enhancing trade. She said foreign ministers of the three countries were now working to develop a roadmap for trilateral co-operation among the three brotherly neighbours.