M A I N   N E W S

Withdrawal of Pak troops from LoC begins

ISLAMABAD, Dec 21 (PTI) — Pakistani troops today started moving back from the Line of Control (LoC) following yesterday’s announcement in this regard today.

“We are not only making an announcement, rather our troops have already started movement,” the Director-General of Inter Services Public Relations, Brig Rashid Qureshi told the BBC.

Pakistan yesterday ordered a partial withdrawal of its troops from the LoC.

Terming it as a “very big step”, Brigadier Qureshi said, “This step has been taken so that India may reciprocate it and should reduce its troops in Kashmir. This will help defuse tension”.

“It is now up to India to reciprocate by pulling its troops from the Line of Control (LoC) and making headway for resumption of talks,” he said.

The spokesman said Pakistan has “a firm stand that talks should be held and some solution to the Kashmir issue ought to be found out.”

Referring to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s statement that the Indian Government would explore the possibility of resuming talks with Pakistan, he said, “From the statements of Mr Vajpayee, it seems that India has become willing (to hold talks)”.

 Ceasefire has positive tone: Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Dec 21 (PTI) — Pakistan today said that India’s extension of ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir had a “positive tone” but fell short of Islamabad’s expectations about the early resumption of negotiations between the two countries.

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s announcement in Parliament yesterday about extending Ramzan ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir “has a positive tone”, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Riaz Mohammad Khan told a press conference here.

He, however, said the announcement fell “short of a clear response to Pakistan’s initiative for early start of negotiations process for settlement of the Kashmir dispute”

“Conditional statements have been emanating from New Delhi for nearly three weeks which show reluctance on India’s part to respond to Pakistan’s response for talks”, said Mr Khan.

He added that “India clearly needs to make up its mind for the meaningful dialogue process as Pakistan initiative envisages a comprehensive approach”.

Resolve J&K issue through talks: Pak navy chief

ISLAMABAD, Dec 21 (PTI) — Pakistan’s Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Abdul Aziz Mirza, has said the Kashmir issue needed to be resolved through “political dialogue” to bring peace and prosperity to the region.

“The Kashmir issue now has to be resolved, through political dialogue, to avert more atrocities against innocent people and the danger of any more conflict,” he said in an interview with Iranian news agency in Islamabad.