Pakistan offers 'full cooperation' to China against terror

Hours after China blamed militants trained in Pakistan for an attack in the restive Xinjiang region, Islamabad today said it would extend "full cooperation" to Beijing in countering the rebels of the East Turkmenistan Islamic Movement (ETIM).

"Pakistan will continue to extend its full cooperation and support to the government of the People's Republic of China against the ETIM," Foreign Office spokesperson Tehmina Janjua said in a brief statement.

Responding to a question on the attack at Kashgar city in Xinjiang region, Janjua said "all incidents of terrorism are deplorable".

"Pakistan is fully confident that the patriotic people of Xinjiang autonomous region of... China and, in particular, Kashgar, as well as the Chinese government, will succeed in frustrating evil designs of the terrorists, extremists and separatists, who constitute an evil force," she said.

Earlier in the day, China said Islamic extremists were behind yesterday's attack in Xinjiang region that left 11 people dead. Muslim Uighurs in Xinjiang resent the presence of Han Chinese and religious and political controls imposed by Beijing.

The attack came a day after two small blasts hit Kashgar, a city dominated by Uighurs.

A Chinese government statement said the leaders of the group behind yesterday's attack had been trained in using explosives and weapons at a camp run by the ETIM in Pakistan.

The attack coincided with a visit to China by ISI chief Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha.