Islamabad: Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch on Friday urged Afghan interim authorities to take action against terror groups operating on Afghan soil and posing threats to Pakistan's sovereignty and security.

Replying to a question at her weekly media briefing in Islamabad, she said Pakistan fully respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan.

The Spokesperson said Pakistan stands ready to defend itself against any threat to its security and sovereignty.

Answering another question, she said Pakistan has conveyed its deepest concerns about the situation along Pak-Afghan border and has urged the Afghan authorities to ensure that Afghanistan's soil should not be used against Pakistan. 

Replying to a question, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch rejected any plans to undertake any talks with terrorist groups, involved in killing of Pakistani civilians and law enforcement officials.

She maintained that the people of Afghanistan are our brothers and we would like to continue to working with them for peace, security and development of Afghanistan in consultation with the Afghan authorities.

Regarding the Palestine issue, the Spokesperson said Pakistan supports the historic call of the United Nations General Assembly made at the 10th Emergency Special Session to admit the State of Palestine to the United Nations as the full member.

Islamabad: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar would represent Pakistan at two-day meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFMs) of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), beginning at Astana in Kazakhstan from Monday.

The Foreign Minister would also hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts on the sidelines of the Council of Foreign Ministers' meeting.

A day earlier, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar invited the Chinese entrepreneurs to take advantage of the investment-friendly policies, and set up labour intensive industry in Pakistan.

In his keynote address at the Pakistan-China Business Roundtable Conference in Beijing, Ishaq Dar said that the government has expedited construction of special economic zones and offers attractive incentives for establishment of different industrial units.

He said the government has worked out 13 key areas having great potential for the Chinese and Pakistani entrepreneurs to establish industry on ownership basis or through joint venture with Pakistani business people.

He said that there are competitive and lucrative incentives especially in special economic zones, export processing zones, Gwadar free zone, and special technology zones.

Karachi: The Pakistan Rupee appreciated against the US dollar in both interbank and open market in the country on Friday.

According to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the dollar depreciated Rs0.19 against the local unit to settle at Rs278,21 in the interbank trading.

The greenback also fell four paise in the open market to settle at Rs279.50.

More to follow....