Amid talk of possible western military intervention in Syria, Pakistan today called for restraint and said the use of force must be avoided at all costs.         The West should wait for the report of the UN team probing the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime before it decides on any action, Foreign Office spokesman Aizaz Chaudhry said.        

"Pakistan has called on all sides to exercise restraint and engage in an inclusive political dialogue to facilitate a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Syria," Chaudhry told a weekly news briefing.        

He said Pakistan believes Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected. "Use of force must be avoided at all costs as the people of Syria have already suffered enormously," he added.        

Pakistan has condemned the alleged use of chemical weapons, Chaudhry said. "In this context, Pakistan notes that a UN team is conducting an investigation. We stress the importance of establishing facts before any precipitate action is taken,' he said.        

Speaking in the National Assembly or lower house of parliament' Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said Syria is an independent and sovereign country and Pakistan cannot support any action against it.