ISLAMABAD — Pakistan says that it wants all sides to continue to upholdIran nuclear agreement also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action(JCPOA).
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Muhammad Faisal while responding to aquestion posed by IRNA at his weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursdaysaid Pakistan wants continuity of this agreement.
Earlier he had said that the JCPOA is a very good example of successfuldiplomacy and should be kept alive.
To a question Muhammad Faisal said that Pakistan is committed to peace andsecurity in Afghanistan and fully supports President Ashraf Ghani’s peaceinitiative. “There is no military solution to the decades-long conflict inAfghanistan, We hope that Taliban would grab the opportunity ofunconditional peace talks,” he said.
He said that it is not solely Pakistan’s responsibility to bring Taliban tonegotiation table.
Replying to another question he said Pakistan and Russia had been arrangingjoin military exercise ‘Friendship’ for last two years. “The two countriesare likely to continue with joint military exercises,” he said.
He went on to say that Pakistan will also be participating in the jointmilitary exercise ‘Peace Mission 2018’ under the Shanghai CooperationOrganization (SCO) which will be held in Russia this year.
He further said these anti-terrorism joint military exercises are conductedunder the aegis of SCO on a regular basis to strengthen counter terrorismcooperation among the member-states.
Muhammad Faisal added that Pakistan and Russia had signed an agreement forthe construction of north-south gas pipeline in October 2016 for long-termcooperation in the energy sector.
The spokesperson to another question said that senior US State Departmentofficial (Ambassador Alice Well) had a useful visit to Pakistan on July 2-3in which she held detailed meetings. “During the meetings two sidesdiscussed bilateral relationship, as well as regional situation especiallyAfghanistan,” he said.
He said that Pakistani cabinet had extended the deadline of Afghanistanrefugees to stay in the country till September 30th 2018.
In his opening remarks, Muhammad Faisal said the Government of Pakistanhanded over a list of 471 Indian prisoners (53 civilian + 418 fishermen) inPakistan to the High Commission of India in Islamabad on 01 July 2018.
“This is consistent with the provisions of the Consular Access Agreementbetween Pakistan and India, signed on 21 May 2008, under which bothcountries are required to exchange lists of prisoners in each other’scustody twice a year, on 1 January and 1 July, respectively,” he said.
The spokesperson added the Indian Government also handed over the list ofPakistani prisoners in India, to Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.