USA mulls civil nuclear deal with Pakistan

Pakistan, however, insisted that it would agree only if another meeting was arranged between Aziz and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to discuss resumption of dialogue on all other outstanding issues, including the issue of Kashmir, sources said in New Delhi.

“Pakistan’s nuclear programme is determined by our legitimate security concerns and Pakistan would never compromise on its national security”, said Pakistan’s Ambassador in Washington, Jalil Abbas Jilani.

In return for such an agreement, the us might support an eventual waiver for Pakistan by the 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group, of which it is a member, the paper said.

The spokesperson also said that India is known as the world’s second largest exporter of beef.

It will be “sheer madness wrapped in folly”, said Sumit Ganguly, a South Asia scholar at Indiana University, among several experts who have critiqued Washington frequent free passes to a country that has a reckless history of nuclear proliferation and home-grown terrorism.

Talking about cancellation of popular singer Ghulam Ali’s concert, the spokesman said it was “regrettable” that Pakistani artists were receiving threats in India.

“The country which claimed to be a secular state should guarantee the basic rights of minorities, particularly Muslims”, Foreign Office spokesperson said.

The foreign office, however, in an official reaction to The Washington Post article would not say if Pakistan was offered a conditional nuclear deal by the US. He said the country was producing nuclear energy to meet its energy demands.

He maintained that Pakistan stood for a peaceful solution of the issue through dialogue led by the Syrian people. “The tax against Muslims for slaughtering of cows are therefore beyond comprehension and a cause of concern for the Muslims”.

The spokesperson strongly rejected allegations that Pakistani agencies or forces are involved in attacks in Afghanistan. “These proposals provide opportunity for reducing tension and resolving all outstanding issues between the two countries”, Qazi told media here. He added that if the two sides agreed, Pakistan was ready to facilitate them.

He further informed that the number of martyrs of Mina stampede has reached 89, injured still being treated 5 and missing 43, adding, “All efforts are being made to locate the missing Pakistanis”. The last time Pakistan walked out of this saying you are not allowing us to do this and we can’t accept that.