ISLAMABAD, Feb 27: The Foreign Office has asked diplomats to refrain from commenting on the political situation in the country, saying their comments could be interpreted as interference in the internal affairs of the country.

“Pakistan is a sovereign state and diplomats need to observe usual diplomatic norms and should not make statements which could be construed as interference in internal affairs of Pakistan,” Foreign Office spokesman Muhammad Sadiq said at his weekly press briefing.

The advice comes in the wake of a flurry of meetings of diplomats with leaders of different political parties which have won the Feb 18 elections and statements issued by them after such meetings. The spokesman said that these meetings were not illegal. “We don’t have laws which prohibit diplomats from meeting with politicians, journalists or citizens.”

However, he said, the statements issued after such meetings violated diplomatic norms.

Answering a question, Mr Sadiq denied existence of any US drone base on the Pakistani soil.

“There are no US drone bases on Pakistan’s territory,” the spokesman said, adding that Islamabad’s intelligence-sharing arrangement with Washington and other partners in the global war on terror did not include providing bases for stationing pilotless spy planes on Pakistan’s territory.

The question about bases was based on a New York Times report which said that US officials had reached a quiet understanding with Pakistan last month to intensify secret air strikes against Taliban terrorists by pilotless planes.

On the issue of Kosovo, the spokesman said that Pakistan had welcomed the declaration of independence by Kosovo.

He said the process for recognition was under way and it would be accorded in coordination with other Muslim countries.

“The recognition of a state is a legal matter. As is usual in such cases, we are coordinating our decision with other countries, particularly OIC member states,” Mr Sadiq said.

Pakistan had supported the Kosovo cause in the United Nations and also supported recommendations of the Martti Ahtisaari initiative.

In reply to a question about the Indo-Pakistan talks, Mr Sadiq said the contacts continued without interruption, adding that a review meeting of the fourth round of talks at the foreign secretary level and a ministerial review meeting would be held in Islamabad next month.

The fifth round of talks, he said, would commence immediately after the fourth round, adding that a schedule for these meetings was being discussed through diplomatic channels.

The spokesman said that the first meeting of the Pakistan-India Joint Judicial Committee on Prisoners held in New Delhi had recommended exchange of consolidated lists of prisoners languishing in jails of the two countries by March 31.

The number of Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails, he said, was 450 while there were 500 Indian prisoners in Pakistani prisons.

The committee has recommended immediate release of all the prisoners whose national status has been verified and who have completed their sentences.

Other recommendations of the committee include special consideration for repatriation of women, juveniles and disabled prisoners; immediate release of detained fishermen whose national status has been confirmed; and providing consular access in other cases by March 31, 2008.