‘Iraq Wants Neither Turks Nor Pakistanis’

Published in English, The News’ foreign politics reporter and Turkey expert Mesut Ahtar said on October 7 that Turkey’s decisions were always closely observed by Pakistan and that the Pakistani government and General Pervez Muserref approved of Turkey’s decision.

Ahtar said that because of ongoing tension in Pakistan, as a result of the U.S. operation in Afgahnistan, sending Pakistani troops to Iraq would be a very dangerous decision.

Another Pakistani newspaper The Dawn also led with the Turkish motion, as well as Iraqi opposition, on October 7.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Ambassador to Ankara Ser Afghan Khan said yesterday that Pakistan had no objections to Turkish troops but that Pakistan would not send troops to Iraq without a United Nations (UN) resolution.