M A I N   N E W S

Stick to Simla pact, says Rehman

New Delhi, July 17
A prominent radical party in Pakistan has rejected President Pervez Musharraf’s demand for third party intervention to settle the Kashmir issue and favoured its resolution in accordance with the Simla Accord.

‘‘The 1971 Simla Accord should form the basis for resolution of the Kashmir issue...There should be no third party intervention,’’ Jamait-e-Ulema Islami chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said here today soon after his arrival from Darul Uloom Deoband, where he had held in depth discussions with Islamic theologists.

‘‘Some countries have vested interests in the region...So they are eager to mediate in the Kashmir issue,’’ said the Maulana, who is heading a four-member team of Parliamentarians to India.

His Jamait-e-Ulema Islami is an important constituent of the Muttahida Majlis Amal (MMA) in Pakistan.

It is essential for both India and Pakistan to reject the third party mediation, he added.

Maulana Rehman, who is considered to have patronised the Taliban, strongly favoured the resumption of dialogue between India and Pakistan.

The Pakistani hardliner is also eager to meet Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister L.K Advani to give a push to the dialogue process.

On the issue of cross-border terrorism, the Maulana said there was no definition of terrorism. ‘‘If the two countries involve themselves in talks, it would help reduce violence in Jammu and Kashmir,’’ he added.

The Pakistani religious leader was critical of the USA for its Iraq and Afghanistan policies.

He said peace could be achieved only through peaceful means and not through muscle power.

The Maulana besides the Darul Uloom, Deoband, had also visited the Golden Temple. — UNI