President Will Visit UK, Says Kaira

Pakistna News: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira said that though the David Cameron's statements were anti-Pakistan, but we could not boycott each other over such an issue.

Addressing a news conference at the Pakistan High Commission on Saturday afternoon on his arrival from Islamabad, Kaira ruled out the cancellation of the president's visit which, he said, was a scheduled one during which he would discuss the bilateral relations with Cameron and the British leadership. He said this was President Zardari's first visit to the UK since the new coalition government came into power there following the May 6 parliamentary polls. He said the president would also address the Pakistani community in Birmingham on August 7. The minister mentioned Pakistan's tremendous sacrifices in the war against terrorism and said the armed forces had lost 2,700 officers and Jawans in the conflict, which is much higher than the total casualties suffered by the Nato forces in Afghanistan. Responding to a question, the minister said the international relations were not helped by boycotting inter-state relations rather visits by heads of the state assist in removing misperceptions and obstacles. "When President Zardari meets the British prime minister at his country residence in Chequers, he will have an in-depth discussion on the issues facing Pakistan and Britain." The minister added that Pakistan and Britain enjoyed good relations and the UK had been assisting his country in various socio-economic sectors and the two countries also enjoyed good defence relations. Referring to the cancellation of the visit to Britain by an operational group of Pakistan intelligence agency, he said owing to the commitment of the members back home, the visit had been called off. He also clarified that the group was not headed by the director general of the ISI. He defended the role of Pakistan intelligence agencies and said like all other such organisations, they were playing a crucial role in the national interest. Referring to the objections raised by certain political parties in Pakistan on the president's visit to the UK in the light of British prime minister's remarks as well as extensive flooding in the country, the minister said the president was representing the people of Pakistan and he would convey the sentiments of his people to Mr Cameron. He said under the directives of the president and the prime minister, the relief agencies, including the armed forces, were providing relief and succour to the affected people.