During a weekly briefing Basit said: “Pakistan has always followed rules set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). We feel that Pakistan has a right of access to civil nuclear technology.”
He revealed that India has released 932 Pakistani prisoners. Basit also claimed that the United Arab Emirates had released eight prisoners, Afghanistan 66, Greece 66 and Yemen 20.
He said that under extradition treaties, eight prisoners would also be released by Thailand and 20 by Sri Lanka, and that efforts were under way to secure the release of more prisoners charged with minor crimes.
Answering a question about the return of illegal Pakistani migrants from the United Kingdom, he said that Pakistan has an agreement with Britain where only 120 Pakistanis can be deported a month.
