Pakistan today said it is prepared for a visit by a team of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which is likely to discuss the progress on commitments made Islamabad to curb terror financing.
FATF, an inter-governmental body aimed at combating money laundering and terrorist financing, has placed Pakistan on its 'grey list' for failing to curb terror financing.
Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal was asked at a media briefing about the visit of the FATF team "during this month".
"Pakistan is prepared for the FATF visit, Faisal said, without giving any further details.
He also refused to share the agenda of FATF team and even the exact dates of the visit, which will the first such trip by FATF after Pakistan was officially placed on its grey list.
However, sources in the Ministry of Finance said that team is expected to arrive on August 13.
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Faisal also said that Pakistan has raised the Kashmir issue at every forum, including the Human Rights Council.
He alleged that the discussion on Article 35A was part of efforts by India to change the demography of Kashmir.
To a question, he said, Pakistan believes in a peaceful neighbourhood but our armed forces are fully equipped and prepared to defend the motherland against any threat, including strengthening of surveillance.
On Pakistan's ties with Russia, he said the relations between the two countries developed steadily over the years and they have established regular military-to-military contacts.
"The two countries have been able to construct a positive trajectory in sustaining high-level interactions and exploring new avenues to cement bilateral relations in all spheres including the defence sector, he said.
For the first time, Pakistani soldiers will undergo training at Russian military institutes after the two countries signed an agreement related to it on Tuesday, in a sign of further strengthening their defence ties amid Islamabad's increasingly uneasy relations with the US.