Pakistan today denied any changes in its policy on Syria amidst reports that it is holding talks with Saudi Arabia to provide weapons to rebels fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
Sartaj Aziz, Advisor to the premier on Foreign Affairs and National Security, dispelled the impression of a change in Pakistan's policy on Syria and said speculation in the media had no foundation.
"The reports about arms supply to Syria are totally baseless and misleading," he told reporters in response to a question regarding a policy shift on Syria.
Speculation about a shift from Pakistan's traditional policy of non-interference in Muslim countries emanated from a joint declaration issued last week at the end of a visit to Islamabad by Saudi Crown Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.
The declaration called for the "formation of a transitional governing body" in Syria and media reports stated Saudi Arabia was in talks with Pakistan to procure anti- aircraft and anti-tank rockets for the rebels.
Syrian rebels have long sought anti-aircraft rockets to be used against fighter jets.
According to an estimate by UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, over 140,000 people, including some 50,000 civilians, have died in the nearly three-year-long conflict in Syria.
