Pakistan backs Ummah’s unity without sectarian or racial considerations: FO

[Irfan Hanif]

Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam says Pakistan do not look at Muslim Ummah through sectarian, racial or ethnic prism.—PID/File
ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office said on Thursday that it supported the Ummah’s unity and had no sectarian or racial considerations in relations with countries in the Muslim world.

Responding to reports in international media that Saudi Arabia was trying to unify Sunni states against the self-styled Islamic State’s threat and Iran, Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said: “Pakistan always stood for the unity of the Muslim Ummah. We do not look at Muslim Ummah through sectarian, racial or ethnic prism.”
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s three-day visit to Saudi Arabia on the invitation of King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud took place as part of hectic diplomatic outreach by the Kingdom in the face of evolving regional situation, which also saw Egyptian and Turkish presidents visiting Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had, during Prime Minister Sharif’s meeting with King Salman, agreed on Wednesday on security cooperation.

No details have been shared about the nature of security cooperation the two countries are envisioning. The existing security cooperation is about training, joint military drills, and operational preparedness.

Media reports have suggested that Saudi Arabia is asking Pakistan to increase troops’ deployment in the Kingdom.

Speaking about cooperation with Saudi Arabia against IS, Ms Aslam said: “Terrorism is a menace that no country can fight alone. We cooperate with other countries and also need cooperation of all countries. The prime minister met the king yesterday. They underscored the close and brotherly relations between two countries. They also identified a number of fields for enhanced bilateral cooperation, including energy, trade, investment, security and of course, counter-terrorism efforts.”

Regarding reports about the US slowing down its withdrawal from Afghanistan, Ms Aslam confirmed the perception that Pakistan supported the idea and said: “We have been suggesting a responsible drawdown.”

US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter had, after his visit to Kabul, hinted at the likely extension in the timetable for withdrawal of remaining 10,000 US troops from Afghanistan. The US had originally planned to complete the withdrawal by the end of 2016.

Pakistan Ambassador to the US Jalil Abbass Jilani had earlier said that slowing down US troops’ withdrawal would be viewed positively by Pakistan.

The spokesperson said that it was for the Afghan government to decide how long it required foreign troops to stay in Afghanistan and the nature of security cooperation with them.

AFGHAN DIPLOMATS: The spokesperson regretted detention of two Afghan Consulate officials in Peshawar as inadvertent.

Kabul had strongly reacted to the brief detention of the officials by the KP police, who were later described as diplomats.

Explaining the incident, Ms Aslam said: “On 26 February 2015, during a regular security check at an apartment building in Peshawar, some people were taken to police station to ascertain their credentials. It turned out that two employees of the Afghan Consulate in Peshawar, who were not registered with the police as tenants, were among them. Once diplomatic credentials of the Consulate’s employees were established, they were immediately released.”

She said the incident was inadvertent.

“Nevertheless, all concerned have been advised to be careful in dealing with diplomats to avoid any future recurrence. The diplomats are also advised to inform the local authorities about their location to obviate the possibility of such incidents,” she added.

REKI: The spokesperson said that Iran had only sought consular access to arrested Iranian national Abdul Salam Reki, who is suspected of links with Jundallah.

“We have just received a request from the Iranian Consulate in Quetta for consular access to Reki and not for his extradition,” she said.

Reki is said to be a cousin of Jundallah leader Abdul Malik Reki, in whose capture in 2011 Pakistani law-enforcement agencies are believed to have cooperated with Iran.

Iranian news agency Fars quoted Iranian Gen Masoud Rezvani as saying that Tehran had asked Islamabad to hand over Abdul Salam Reki to Iran.

 

[Bornubus]

No Muslim ummah or OIC like orgs can be successful.....without the inclusion of India...in future

 

[Tameem]

Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam says Pakistan do not look at Muslim Ummah through sectarian, racial or ethnic prism.—PID/File
ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office said on Thursday that it supported the Ummah’s unity and had no sectarian or racial considerations in relations with countries in the Muslim world.

Responding to reports in international media that Saudi Arabia was trying to unify Sunni states against the self-styled Islamic State’s threat and Iran, Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said: “Pakistan always stood for the unity of the Muslim Ummah. We do not look at Muslim Ummah through sectarian, racial or ethnic prism.”
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s three-day visit to Saudi Arabia on the invitation of King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud took place as part of hectic diplomatic outreach by the Kingdom in the face of evolving regional situation, which also saw Egyptian and Turkish presidents visiting Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had, during Prime Minister Sharif’s meeting with King Salman, agreed on Wednesday on security cooperation.

No details have been shared about the nature of security cooperation the two countries are envisioning. The existing security cooperation is about training, joint military drills, and operational preparedness.

Media reports have suggested that Saudi Arabia is asking Pakistan to increase troops’ deployment in the Kingdom.

Speaking about cooperation with Saudi Arabia against IS, Ms Aslam said: “Terrorism is a menace that no country can fight alone. We cooperate with other countries and also need cooperation of all countries. The prime minister met the king yesterday. They underscored the close and brotherly relations between two countries. They also identified a number of fields for enhanced bilateral cooperation, including energy, trade, investment, security and of course, counter-terrorism efforts.”

Regarding reports about the US slowing down its withdrawal from Afghanistan, Ms Aslam confirmed the perception that Pakistan supported the idea and said: “We have been suggesting a responsible drawdown.”

US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter had, after his visit to Kabul, hinted at the likely extension in the timetable for withdrawal of remaining 10,000 US troops from Afghanistan. The US had originally planned to complete the withdrawal by the end of 2016.

Pakistan Ambassador to the US Jalil Abbass Jilani had earlier said that slowing down US troops’ withdrawal would be viewed positively by Pakistan.

The spokesperson said that it was for the Afghan government to decide how long it required foreign troops to stay in Afghanistan and the nature of security cooperation with them.

AFGHAN DIPLOMATS: The spokesperson regretted detention of two Afghan Consulate officials in Peshawar as inadvertent.

Kabul had strongly reacted to the brief detention of the officials by the KP police, who were later described as diplomats.

Explaining the incident, Ms Aslam said: “On 26 February 2015, during a regular security check at an apartment building in Peshawar, some people were taken to police station to ascertain their credentials. It turned out that two employees of the Afghan Consulate in Peshawar, who were not registered with the police as tenants, were among them. Once diplomatic credentials of the Consulate’s employees were established, they were immediately released.”

She said the incident was inadvertent.

“Nevertheless, all concerned have been advised to be careful in dealing with diplomats to avoid any future recurrence. The diplomats are also advised to inform the local authorities about their location to obviate the possibility of such incidents,” she added.

REKI: The spokesperson said that Iran had only sought consular access to arrested Iranian national Abdul Salam Reki, who is suspected of links with Jundallah.

“We have just received a request from the Iranian Consulate in Quetta for consular access to Reki and not for his extradition,” she said.

Reki is said to be a cousin of Jundallah leader Abdul Malik Reki, in whose capture in 2011 Pakistani law-enforcement agencies are believed to have cooperated with Iran.

Iranian news agency Fars quoted Iranian Gen Masoud Rezvani as saying that Tehran had asked Islamabad to hand over Abdul Salam Reki to Iran.

This is Pakistaniat, This is true representation of GOP, This is PMLN

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

No Muslim ummah or OIC like orgs can be successful.....without the inclusion of India...in future

Keep your india away from our threads.

 

[OrionHunter]

What is Muslim Ummah? Is there one? Or is it just a charade to show the world that all Muslims are bound together by a common ideology?

 

[Imran Khan]

and what ummah look at pakistan ?

 

[salmanACCA]

No Muslim ummah or OIC like orgs can be successful.....without the inclusion of India...in future

hahahaha and why do we need vegeterians

 

[Force-India]

No Muslim ummah or OIC like orgs can be successful.....without the inclusion of India...in future

Shh

 

[I.R.A]

What is Muslim Ummah? Is there one? Or is it just a charade to show the world that all Muslims are bound together by a common ideology?

The definition of Ummah can never be taken under as Muslim country governments coming together. The annual Hajj performance should be enough to explain to you if there is really an Ummah or not.

 

[Guynextdoor2]

........ie............Pakistan backs Khawabi Pulao.........mmmmuaaaahh...........

 

[SarthakGanguly]

U r a hindu nation as it is proved by the recent law of sending muslims to 7 years jail for eating beef

Not yet. But we should be.

 

[Kompromat]

@waz

Pls clean up trolls from here.

 

[Halimi]

The Foreign Office is making the diplomatic and correct response.

But I can't help that feel that Pakistan will ultimately have to make a decisive and apparent strategic choice between the Gulf States and Turkey on one hand, and Iran on the other. Of course, Nawaz leans towards the former, but I think that will become more apparent both on the governmental and military level sometime in the near future.

The Middle East - particularly the Arab Mashriq - is so polarised along sectarian lines and the stakes are so high, that Pakistan will probably be asked to lean more assertively in one direction to help out Saudi Arabia.

Whatever happens though, even as an Arab Sunni Muslim myself, I hope Pakistan keeps its own developmental, security and strategic interests in mind first and foremost. Your country has sacrificed a lot, and I hope from now on it takes better care of itself.

 

[B+ Dracula]

i asked simple question
crs of mulsim in india .. why they cant be aprt of ummah ?
what is basis of umah ? and for waht ?

You seem Serious
Muslims of India are part of proposed word "Ummah"
.
We dont hold or issue any certificate of being part of Ummah...and no one can
.
we muslims of world have special rights to each other...
we celebrate Eid / Ramzan / Hajj / Marry / Pray with each other....under the flag of being muslim or proposed word Ummah
.
why "Ummah" word is so popular Now a days??
Bcoz of the current political situation of muslims worldwide, Since we abandoned KHILAFAT as political head (one ruler of all muslim governing states) ...the New World Order has started catching us One by One....(again i limit myself upto here)