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07/0800 HOURS OF 6-6-1998 (SATURDAY)

JOINT SITTING : A joint session of the Parliament is being held in Islamabad Saturday this morning to discuss the situation created after Indian nuclear blasts.

The House is likely to take up proclamation of emergency by the President and grave security threat to Pakistan's sovereignty by Indian threatening posture following its nuclear blasts.

RESOLUTION : The National Assembly Friday night passed a resolution affirming determination of Pakistani people to face with steadfastness to situation arising out of the nuclear tests defend national security at all costs, imbibe the concept of self reliance and meet any adversity without compromising the honour and dignity of the proud nation.

Through the resolution moved by the Foreign Minister, Mr. Gohar Ayub Khan, the house congratulated the Prime Minister for taking bold and correct decision of exercising nuclear option and felicitated all Pakistani scientists, engineers and technicians for their dedicated team work in providing the nation with ability to deter aggression.

It denounced the imposition of sanctions against Pakistan which are unjustified, immoral, selective and certainly counter productive.

The house urged the international community, particularly the major powers, to address the real causes of insecurity and tension in South Asia including the imperative need of finding a just solution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

Reaffirming its total support and solidarity for the just cause of Kashmir the resolution called to settle the dispute peacefully by enabling the Kashmiris to exercise their right to self determination as provided in the UN resolution.

The resolution affirmed that the onus of nuclearization and de-stabilization of South Asia lies squarely on India. Its provocative actions to alter the strategic balance posed unprecedented grave threat to the security of Pakistan and regional peace. The House regretted that the international community ignored Pakistan's repeated warnings about India's clandestine nuclear programme and its hegemonistic designs and aggressive agenda in the region.

The house also reaffirmed that Pakistan has no intention to enter into a nuclear arms race.

SPOKESMAN : A Foreign Office spokesman commenting on the outcome and resolution of the Foreign Ministers of 5 permanent members of the Security Council in Geneva said it reflected a recognition of the urgency for the world community to address the security crisis in the region.

Expressing satisfaction over the resolution, the spokesman said in Islamabad Friday night that the meeting had adopted a comprehensive approach to peace and security in South Asia and it had addressed not only the non-proliferation issue but also the threat to peace and security including the need for a solution of the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir.

The spokesman said Pakistan supports the resumption of bilateral talks with India at the Foreign Secretary's level on the basis of the agreement reached in Islamabad last June. However he said it is evident now that the bilateral dialogue needs to be supplemented by a broader multilateral process to promote durable peace and security in the region. In this context the spokesman regretted that India has rejected the offers of mediation from the UN Secretary General, Japan, Iran, Bangladesh and others.

The spokesman reiterating Pakistan's stand said it also believed that P-5 initiative to focus on the tension and on its root cause in South Asia, the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir should be seen as the beginning of a process of active and continued involvement of the international community.

This process should be vigorously pursued until a just settlement of the Kashmir issue is reached and culminated in a non-aggression pact between Pakistan and India, the spokesman added.

Meanwhile, India has rejected P-5's resolutions including unilateral concessions in its nuclear programme and outside mediation with Pakistan over Kashmir. A statement last night in New Delhi said existing nuclear treaties were deeply flawed and discriminatory.

The resolution affirmed that the onus of nuclearization and de-stabilization of South Asia lies squarely on India. Its provocative actions to alter the strategic balance posed unprecedented grave threat to the security of Pakistan and regional peace. The House regretted that the international community ignored Pakistan's repeated warnings about India's clandestine nuclear programme and its hegemonistic designs and aggressive agenda in the region.

The house also reaffirmed that Pakistan has no intention to enter into a nuclear arms race.

PM-VISIT : The Prime Minister is leaving for Saudi Arabia and the UAE Saturday.

He will meet Saudi and UAE leaders and exchange views with them on matters of bilateral interest as well as situation in the region and international issues of importance.

IRAN -PAKISTAN : The Iranian Foreign Minister Dr. Kamal Kharazai has said that the emergence of Pakistan as nuclear power has been welcomed in the Islamic world.

Talking to newsmen in Tehran after concluding his three day visit to Islamabad and New Delhi Dr. Kharazai said Pakistan's nuclear capability has given new strength to Muslim countries.

PAK-JAPAN : The Japanese Foreign Minister Mr. Keizo Obechi has said that he will ask the international community to arrange dialogue between Pakistan and India.

Talking to newsmen in Tokyo Friday he said in the coming meeting of G-8 countries in London next week he will ask the international community to organise bilateral talks between Pakistan and India.

He said the recent series of nuclear explosions has created grave security problems in South Asia.

US-MISSILE-SPOKESMAN : Pakistan has rejected as part of a disinformation campaign an American report that Islamabad was preparing to test fire one of its short range missiles.

A Foreign Office spokesman, commenting on an Associated Press report from Washington, said the government has no such plans.

The spokesman said it appears to be a part of a disinformation campaign particularly in the wake of the permanent five Foreign Ministers' meeting in Geneva which has called for a dialogue on Kashmir which is the root cause of tension in the region.

The Associated Press quoting an unnamed senior Clinton Administration official, said the US does have evidence that Pakistan may be preparing test fire of a missile which will have arrange of four hundred to six hundred kilometres.

KANJU : The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mr. Muhammad Siddique Khan Kanju now on a visit to Northern Afghanistan has had wide ranging talks with the leader of Northern Opposition Alliance Professor Burhanuddin Rabani on ways to push forward the peace process in war ravaged country.

PPI quoting official sources say the two sides held very useful and substantial discussions to resume the peace talks between the Afghan government and opposition alliance.

It was second meeting between Mr.Siddique Khan Kanju and Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani in the last two days. Earlier, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs held similar talks with the leaders of Afghan government in Kandahar.

RELIEF- AFGHANISTAN : International donors at a meeting in Islamabad have pledged two million dollars for the victims of last week's earthquake in Afghanistan.

A spokesman of the United Nations which is co-ordinating the appeal said the promises were very encouraging . But, she said, more money was needed.

KASHMIR-WASHINGTONPOST : Reporting Kashmir dispute as fundamental to calming tensions in South Asia, American newspaper, The Washington Post has said Kashmir has earned a place on global agenda.

The newspaper also said that Pakistan has gained leverage because of international concern about non-proliferation issues and may be able to persuade foreign powers to persevere where previous efforts have flagged.

However, the newspaper said, the mediation role on Kashmir would have to be behind the scenes.

Quoting a Pakistan expert the paper said if the major powers want to try to make the world a safer place by making this region a safe place, they have to address the Kashmir issue that created this.

AFGHANISTAN : In Afghanistan, at least two people were killed and sixteen others injured in a rocket attack on Capital Kabul Friday.

AFP says the rockets fired by the opposition militia landed in the residential areas near the airport.

This has been the second attack on Kabul in the last three days.

21/2200 HOURS OF 5-6-1998 (FRIDAY)

PRIME MINISTER : The Prime Minister says the present situation has provided the best opportunity to Pakistan and India to sit together and resolve all their bilateral problems through dialogue.

Addressing the joint Parliamentary meeting of PML Senators and MNAs in Islamabad Friday Mr. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif said there was great pressure on Pakistan and he took the decision to conduct nuclear tests in line with the expectations of people of Pakistan.

He said the timing of the tests was perfect and results were overwhelmingly successful. He emphasised that his government took extra ordinary measures before and after the tests to safeguard our nuclear installations.

After the Indian nuclear tests Pakistan contacted the world leaders but the response of the world leaders was not according to Pakistan's expectations. There were many options for Pakistan after the Indian tests but it selected the best one. He said even Americans now admit that Pakistan played straight in the crisis.

Mr. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif congratulated the members of Parliament for the successful nuclear tests and said even the world and international media now recognise that Pakistan's nuclear and missile technology was superior to that of India.

The Prime Minister said Pakistan's nuclear tests were a befitting reply to Indian tests and threatening statements.

The international community now recognises Pakistan at par with India and was calling for solution of problems between the two countries including Kashmir. Similarly the big five and G-8 countries have admitted Pakistan's nuclear capability.

Sanctions imposed by some countries have provided a unique opportunity to Pakistan to rise to the occasion and achieve self reliance. The government took up this challenge. He asked Parliamentarians to set up example for others to adopt austerity and hard work.

The Prime Minister said national security and economic development are top priorities of his government. He emphasised that tax evadors, defaulters and electricity and gas thieves are not acceptable in our society.

He stressed the need for concerted efforts to boost agricultural production on crash footing. He also directed for eliminating the menace of smuggling.

KASHMIR CABINET : More than two hundred Kashmiri families have crossed the line of control and taken shelter in refugee camps in Azad Kashmir following unprecedented repressions by Indian forces in occupied Kashmir.

This was stated at a meeting of the Azad Kashmir Cabinet held under the chairmanship of the AJK Prime Minister sultan Mehmood Chaudhry in Muzaffarabad Friday.

It reviewed at length the latest situation obtaining in occupied Kashmir after recent nuclear explosions by India. The Cabinet urged upon world powers and United Nations to take stock of Indian belligerent and expansionist designs and help resolve the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN resolutions.

The Cabinet welcomed the statement of the Indian Prime Minister Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the Upper House of the Indian Parliament expressing his willingness to resume talks with Pakistan on Kashmir. FUND MEETING : A high-level meeting was held in Islamabad Friday afternoon to consider various proposals to promote the underlying idea of the National self-reliance Fund, instituted by the Prime Minister.

The Information Minister Mr. Mushahid Hussain Syed chaired the meeting. Those who attended included the Federal Commerce Minister Mr. Muhammad Ishaq Dar and Co-ordinator of the National Self-reliance Fund Khawaja Haroon.

The meeting noted with satisfaction that the Pakistani in the country as well as those abroad are showing enthusiastic response to the appeal made by Prime Minister Mr. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif to generously contribute to the National self-reliance Fund.