Pakistan seen avoiding U.S. demand in drug dispute

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (Reuter) Pakistan Monday appeared to be ignoring a U.S.
demand that it release a detained local employee of Washington's Drug
Enforcement Agency (DEA).

``Why are you asking me such questions,'' a Foreign Ministry spokesman told
Reuters as he refused to comment on a local news agency report that Pakistan
had rejected the demand to release Ayaz Baloch, an employee of the DEA office
in Islamabad.

Pakistani police arrested Baloch last week for alleged ``involvement in drug
trafficking and antistate activities.''

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry has declined comment on the charges, but it
denied a U.S. newspaper report that the arrest was retaliation for the arrest
of a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) officer in New York last month for allegedly
carrying heroin in a PAF Boeing 707 plane.

A statement by the U.S. Information Service in Islamabad said over the
weekend that Washington had expressed ``strong concerns (over Baloch's
arrest) and urged his release ...''

However, the private local NNI news agency quoted an unnamed Pakistani
diplomat as saying ``there is no question'' of Baloch's release.

``It's our internal affair and the Americans have nothing to say on this
issue,'' the diplomat was quoted as saying.

U.S. authorities arrested PAF squadron leader Mohammad Farooq in New York
last month for allegedly possessing two kg of heroin. He was there to pick up
spare parts for U.S.supplied F16 fighters.

A second PAF officer was arrested in Pakistan after PAF chief Air Chief
Marshal Abbas Khattak ordered a highlevel inquiry into the incident.