ISLAMABAD – Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal has said that it would becounterproductive for the war against terror to put Pakistan’s name on thewatch list of the countries funding terrorism.

He was responding to questions by newsmen in Islamabad on Monday.

The Interior Minister said the move to put Pakistan on the watch list wouldhurt its capability to fight terrorism and questioned whose interest wouldbe served by doing so.

He said Pakistan is diplomatically engaging different countries of theworld to apprise them of the measures taken by the country in the waragainst terror.

He expressed the confidence that the international community wouldrecognize sacrifices of Pakistan in the war against terror and will nottake measures that would hamper its anti-terror campaign.

To another question, he condemned continued unprovoked firing by India onthe Line of Control and said that New Delhi was resorting to the tactics ina bid to divert attention from its atrocities against people in OccupiedKashmir.

Replying to another question, Ahsan Iqbal said there is a procedure forputting names on the Exit Control List.

Earlier, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal says onlydemocracy can ensure sustainable socio-economic development.

He was speaking at the launching ceremony of the report “Inclusive andSustainable Development” in Islamabad on Monday.

The Minister said it was because of democracy that the country was todayhaving historic projects like China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).