ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has defended the securitycheck at the US Airport.

He said on Thursday that abiding by the laws of a foreign country only addsto one’s dignity and there is no embarrassment in that.

Asked about meeting the US vice president during his recent visit to theUnited States and that what actually happened there at the airport, theprime minister said: “It was a private tour. I got a chance to apprise the[US] vice president of our stance since he had asked me to meet with himwhenever I visited the US.

“It was an occasion. We had a discussion and presented our stance beforethem,” he said, adding that the defence attaché also accompanied him tomeeting.

Addressing the latter part of the question, Abbasi said that he has beentravelling to the US for the past 40 years and feels that every personshould get through the security checks.

“Whether I am prime minister or not, it does not affect my prestige; I haveseen Bill Clinton pass through the same security [checks],” he said.

“So you decide what embarrassment one has in passing through these checks.I understand that it only adds to your dignity when you go to a [foreign]country and respect it laws.”