ISLAMABAD, Nov 6: Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi, spokesman for president, said here on Tuesday that there was no government ban on the return of People’s Party Chairperson Benazir Bhutto to Pakistan but said she would have to face legal procedure and face the court and “that is something which is between her and the court”.

The president’s spokesman was responding to questions at the daily briefing at the foreign office that the PPP delegation during meeting on Monday with President Gen Pervez Musharraf had “demanded safe return of the party’s chairperson”.

He said that the PPP’s demand had been there for quite some time and explained that the president’s response had been that it was not because of some government action that the PPP chairperson was out of the country. If she wished to come back she would be most welcome to do so, Gen Qureshi said.

Gen Qureshi said that the president’s meeting with the PPP delegation was one of similar meetings held with leaders of various other parties as well, most of whom expressed support to Gen Musharraf and his government for the decision taken to support coalition forces.

Gen Qureshi further said that no one should read too much in such meetings as there were no specific purposes. The idea was to interact with political leaders and exchange views on national and other issues and updating (on the situation) by the government on the Afghanistan situation. The president’s spokesman seemed to suggest that Gen Musharraf had offered no quid pro quo to the PPP for its support to the president’s policy on the Afghanistan operation by the United States.

The foreign office spokesman while responding to questions on the government attitude to the UN insistence to open Pakistan’s border to Afghan refugees, reiterated that Islamabad could not afford to let tens of thousands of Afghan refugees to come into Pakistan as it was already over-saturated with refugees which had created economic and social problems for the country.

The FO spokesman, Aziz Khan, however, declared that the government was ready to extend all possible assistance to provide food, medicines and other necessary relief measures to the Afghans if the UN would agree to set up camps inside Afghanistan close to Pakistani borders.

He asserted that there should be no problem if the UN were to agree to set up camps inside Afghanistan where already several NGOs were being functioning.

He said that Pakistan had been assured by the Taliban authorities about the safety and security of the relief workers and pointed out that there were many areas inside Afghanistan where peace prevailed.

DENIAL: Gen Rashid Qureshi said that Pakistan had not given air bases to the United States. “This is incorrect information,” Gen Rashid told the journalists during the briefing in response to a question about a news report that Pakistan had given air bases to the US for bombing purposes, agencies add.

He said Pakistan had made it abundantly clear many a times that in three areas Pakistan was cooperating with coalition forces and one was logistics support.

Gen Rashid said that in the news item The Washington Post was quoted as saying that bases had been given for bombing purposes.

“No bombing is taking place from any of the bases in Pakistan,” Gen Rashid Qureshi said.

About a news report regarding crash of an US helicopter inside Pakistan, Gen Rashid said: “We have no such information.”

“I have heard the media reports but there is no independent confirmation. According to our information no such incident took place,” he said.

DISSIDENTS: The foreign office spokesman said that the dissident elements from the Taliban or any other group who wished to join broad-based government in Afghanistan should be given an opportunity.

The spokesman was asked about the Indian prime minister’s remarks that the Taliban should not be included in the broad-based Afghan government.

“That is Indian position but our position is that the dissident elements from the Taliban or any other group who wish to join the broad-based government in Afghanistan should be given an opportunity,” he said.

Our position is very clear, he said, adding: “It is not inclusion or exclusion of any specific group. We are talking about a broad-based government in which everybody gets a representation to be chosen by the Afghans themselves.”

About appointment of US special envoy on Afghanistan, the spokesman said the appointment of a special envoy for Afghan opposition includes everybody. “The envoy is not for Northern Alliance.”

“US State Department spokesman had already explained the purpose of appointment that the envoy would be travelling a lot in the region and meeting various Afghan groups and parties,” Mr Khan said.

About the supply of uniform and military equipment to Northern Alliance, the FO spokesman said there was nothing new in it - it was going on in the past also.

To a question about the arrest of Pakistanis in the United States, the spokesman said we took up the issue with the US and they were also concerned about it and these cases were being investigated.

“Let me assure you that our missions are fully aware of the situation and are extending all support possible through our embassy in Washington as well as the consulate to resolve these cases,” he said.

CLAIM REFUTED: The foreign office spokesman denied claims by the religious parties that thousands of armed tribesmen were crossing the border into Afghanistan to fight with the Taliban.

“The government policy is that no Pakistani should be allowed to cross the border for the purpose of fighting in Afghanistan,” the spokesman said.

While the border is officially closed, the spokesman stressed that its length and topography made it almost impossible to seal completely.

“But news of thousands crossing is also incorrect. There might have been the odd case ... but otherwise no large-scale crossing,” he said.