Pak welcomes Obama decision to close down Guantanamo prison

Pakistan welcomed Barack Obama's decision to close down the Guantanamo Bay prison, saying Islamabad hopes the new US administration would develop a "holistic approach" to tackle the problems facing the world.

Pakistan on Saturday welcomed President Barack Obama's decision to close down the Guantanamo Bay prison, saying Islamabad hopes the new US administration would develop a "holistic approach" to tackle the problems facing the world.

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Closing the "Guantanamo Bay Detention Centre signals an important step towards upholding the primacy of the rule of law and adds the much needed moral dimension in dealing with terrorism," the Foreign Office spokesman said in a statement.

Pakistan welcomed the decision to close down the prison and "is confident that the new US Administration will develop a holistic strategy in successfully overcoming the complex challenges confronting the world today", he said.

On Thursday, Obama ordered the closure of the prison within a year and banned torture, overturning the anti-terror policies of his predecessor George W Bush.

The 115 sq km facility is the oldest overseas US naval base. The Cuban government says the Guantanamo lease, signed in 1903, is invalid, while the US says it is valid.