M A I N   N E W S

Pakistan restores air, bus, rail links

Islamabad, May 6
Announcing, what it termed as confidence-building measures, including restoration of air, rail and road links with India, Pakistan tonight expressed the hope that this would lead to a “serious and substantive’’ dialogue on all issues, including the core issue of Kashmir.

Addressing a press conference here, Pakistan Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali said diplomatic ties at the High Commissioner level would be resumed. Restoration of sports relations would be the next step.

The Pakistan Prime Minister supported a comprehensive dialogue on wide-ranging issues, including nuclear and trade. ‘’We are prepared to go to the talks with an open mind,’’ he said.

But he clarified in reply to a question on whether Pakistan had softened its stand on Kashmir that "we are where we were and there is no shift on our stand.’’

While supporting Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s stand that proper ground work was to be done before the two countries engaged in any talks, Mr Jamali said much water had flowed since the last time the two countries held talks.

As a goodwill gesture, Mr Jamali announced the release of 26 Indian fishermen and 14 group members.

In order to give an impetus to bilateral trade, he said 78 items would be placed in the promotional trade list.

Earlier, he told Pakistan TV in an interview that he was ready to go to India to further the peace process.

“I have written to the Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee that if he could not come to Pakistan, for Pakistan, for India, for South Asia, I am ready to go there (India).”

He said he appreciated the positive approach shown by Mr Vajpayee during his visit to Srinagar last month and again in the Indian Parliament.

Referring to India’s decision to restore full diplomatic ties and air links on reciprocal basis, he said Pakistan would respond positively.

Mr Jamali said both Pakistan and India would have to play their role for ensuring peace.

Replying to a question, Mr Jamali denied that there was any pressure that forced the two countries to agree for talks.

However, Pakistan’s economic development and sincerity of purpose might have worked as an “indirect pressure” on India to change its approach towards Pakistan to resolve all outstanding issues between the two countries. “We don’t want enmity with anyone,” he said.

Asked about the possibility of “hawkish” leaders in India prevailing on the peace initiatives, Mr Jamali said the time has shown the results of such an approach.

Stating that the military stand-off and severing of road, air and bus links has not helped, he said both countries would have saved a lot of trouble had the Agra declaration been allowed to sign.

Meanwhile, cautioning against any compromise on the Kashmir issue, Pakistan’s opposition parties have backed the steps initiated by the Jamali government to respond to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s peace overtures and stressed the need to forge a broad national consensus on the latest turn to India-Pakistan ties.

At the end of a three-hour all-party meeting between Premier Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali and leaders of all top opposition parties, an official statement said last night that the parties lauded Mr Jamali’s initiative to forge consensus on his moves to initiate a dialogue process to bring down tensions.

On opposition’s perceptions at the meeting, Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Javed Hashmi said, “We are all in favour of meaningful talks. The PML-N believes the talks should start from where they were left during the Lahore process.” He said his party would support Mr Jamali’s initiative in this regard.

The meeting reportedly decided that a one-day national assembly session, expected this week, be convened to debate the issue before announcing reciprocal measures. PTI