ISLAMABAD- Foreign Office has said Pakistan government is ready to extend all possible legal assistance to MQM chief Altaf Hussain, who is under treatment at a hospital in London.
The Foreign Office Spokesperson, Tasnim Aslam, while briefing the journalists today, said Altaf Hussain and his legal team had not yet contacted Pakistan government for any assistance. She said the government even does not know the charges framed against the MQM chief.
The spokesperson said Pakistan’s acting high commissioner in London held a 20-minute meeting with the MQM Chief on Thursday and conveyed Prime Minister Sharif’s goodwill message to Altaf Hussain.
Aslam said the Foreign Office will also act according to the directions of the government in case Altaf Hussain wants any assistance or intends to return to Pakistan.
To a question regarding issuance of a passport and a national identity card to Hussain, the spokesperson said the required documents have not been provided for this purpose as yet. As soon as the required documents are received the processing will be started, she said.
The spokesperson said Islamabad is in contact with Washington and New Delhi for release of its prisoners from Guantanamo Bay and Indian prisons. Aslam said we are seized with this matter and want early release of our prisoners from Guantanamo Bay, Bagram or anywhere else.
She said the number of Pakistani prisoners in India is higher than officially conveyed by the Indian government. Most of the Pakistani prisoners are still languishing in Indian jails despite serving their terms. On Pakistan-India foreign secretary level talks, she said both the governments are in touch on the matter. Asked about the attacks on Pakistani forces from Afghanistan, the spokesperson said Pakistan has raised the issue with Afghan authorities in Kabul and the Afghan embassy in Islamabad. She said our troops are acting in self-defense.