ISLAMABAD, March 21: Pakistan on Monday said that the proposed expansion in United Nations Security Council should be made in the non-permanent member category with no veto power. Speaking at his weekly press briefing here, Foreign Office spokesman Jalil Abbas Jilani said that Pakistan believed that recommendations by a UN panel of experts would meet the requirements of transparency and democratic principles in the enlarged world body. In reply to a question about the proposed reforms, the spokesman said that Pakistan would like to have a formal report from UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the issue before giving its response.

Another UN panel of experts had proposed that the membership of the UN Security Council should be raised from 15 to 25 and the additional permanent members might include the so-called industrialized countries. The proposed reforms should be open to debate in the world body with no deadline and any decision should be taken on the basis of consensus, Mr Jilani said. When his attention was drawn to reports suggesting that India had tried to pressurize the World Bank to stop it from appointing a neutral expert on the Baglihar dam project, the spokesman observed that any attempt to influence the World Bank would itself be ‘a very serious violation’ of the Indus basin treaty.

He said while he would like to see reports in this regard, he would assert that the design of the dam itself was in violation of the treaty. Likewise, India’s failure to address Pakistan’s concerns while building the dam was also a violation of the treaty. Mr Jilani said the World Bank, which had the Pakistan complaint before it, must take a decision which would be binding on both parties under the treaty.

When asked whether Pakistan’s defence requirements, including F-16s, were discussed during meetings with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the spokesman said all legitimate defence requirements of Pakistan were under ‘active consideration’ of the US administration.

He said Islamabad had sought arms in view of massive arms procurement by New Delhi. Pakistan’s request for delivery of F-16 planes was also discussed with Ms Rice, he added.

Responding to another question, the spokesman said that ‘there was no quid pro quo’ in Pakistan’s request for US arms. The questioner had pointed out that according to Western media reports, Pakistan had been asked to provide bases and intelligence assistance in case of an anticipated US attack on Iran.

Answering questions concerning Dr A.Q. Khan and his alleged nuclear proliferation network, Mr Jilani said the network had been completely dismantled and no new information or evidence had emerged which required further investigation.

However, he added that Islamabad had not closed its option of probing into additional information if it was made available. Pakistan would like the countries which kept harping on Dr Khan’s network, to also show similar zeal and interest in about over two dozen nuclear proliferation networks said to be working round the world, he said and added that all states concerned were completely satisfied with the result of Pakistan’s investigation into nuclear dealings of Dr Khan.

PRESIDENT’S VISIT: The spokesman said President Pervez Musharraf had accepted an invitation to watch a one-day cricket match between Pakistan and India to be played on April 17 in New Delhi, adds PPI.

He said that details of the visit were being worked out. Replying to a question, Mr Jilani said the Azad Kashmir prime minister would inaugurate the bus service between Muzaffarabad and Srinagar on April 7.

He said in view of limited capacity of the bus, preference had been given to those who had not seen their relatives for a long time. Lists of people travelling by the inaugural bus would be exchanged by the two sides on Tuesday.

About the fate of Pakistani fishermen and civilians detained in India, the spokesman said they were 533 in number and during the last meeting between foreign secretaries it was agreed that the process of their release would be expedited. Pakistan’s High Commission in New Delhi was in the process of verifying their nationality.