Summary Interior Ministry has not responded to Altaf Hussain's request as yet, the FO spokesperson said.
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – Foreign Office spokesperson Tasneem Aslam today (Thursday) said that MQM chief Altaf Hussain’s request for renewal of his Pakistani passport has been forwarded to the Ministry of Interior, Dunya News reported.
During the weekly briefing, Tasneem Aslam said that it is not Foreign office’s prerogative to issue passport. All requests are forwarded to the Ministry of Interior.
Though, the interior ministry has not apprised about its decision on Altaf Hussain’s request, she added.
Tasneem Aslam further said the interior ministry’s response will be forwarded to Pakistani High Commission in London.
It may be mentioned here that MQM leader Altaf Hussain lives in self-imposed exile in London after being accused of murder in the last round of blood-letting in the 1990s.
To a question, the FO spokesperson said there was no prisoner swap deal between Pakistan and Britain.
She said protecting the Pak-Afghan border is the shared responsibility of both the sides, adding that Pakistan, however, has carried an extra burden regarding the protection and management of the border.
When asked to comment on the perception that Abdullah Abdullah, who is likely to become the next Afghan President, is more pro-India and anti-Pakistan, the spokesperson dismissed the perception that any Afghan leader is against Pakistan.
The spokesperson said we do not know who will form the next government there, but whosoever forms the government we will focus on building bilateral relations with the neighboring country and engage with their leaders for this purpose.
