M A I N   N E W S

Indo-Pak bus talks all words, no result
Rajeev Sharma
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 8
The inevitable happened as the first ever technical-level talks on the proposed Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service failed to produce any positive outcome today.

The two-day talks that began yesterday remained stuck today as well on what travel documents should be used for the proposed bus service, a passport along with an entry permit (not visa) from the Indian point of view, and “no passport” (only local identity proof) from the Pakistani view point.

For the record, the two sides today simultaneously issued a joint press statement that said: “The talks were held in a frank, cordial and constructive atmosphere.

“Both sides reiterated their commitment towards the early establishment of the proposed link. Ideas were exchanged on all aspects related to the operationalisation of the bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad. The two sides agreed to continue discussions at the next meeting to be held at mutually agreed dates.”

Though the two-day meeting was held to discuss “all issues related to the commencement of the bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad”, as the press statement put it, insiders told The Tribune that the talks barely covered two days and that there was hardly any “technical” aspect to the discussions. The latter mainly because the Pakistani delegation did not have any technical person, thus showing the Pakistani mindset.

It is understood that the two sides had hit an iron wall yesterday itself after two hours of talks between the four-member Pakistani delegation headed by Mr Jalil Abbas Jilani, DG (South Asia), and the nine-member Indian delegation headed by Mr Alok Rawat, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Transport.

The talks today lasted barely an hour and remained largely confined to th Director level. Later, the Pakistani delegation called on the Secretary, Department of Road Transport and Highways of India.

The Pakistani side made it clear that it was looking for a major change in India’s policy on Kashmir. Pakistan wanted that India, which does not see Jammu and Kashmir as a disputed region, should at least agree with the idea that the state was disputed.

Pak test-fires Shaheen missile

Islamabad, December 8
Pakistan today successfully test-fired medium-range surface-to-surface HATF-4 (Shaheen-1) ballistic missile. Capable of carrying both the nuclear and conventional warheads, Shaheen can hit the targets up to 700 km, said an official statement, issued here after the test-fire in the morning. 

This is the second missile test conducted by Pakistan in less than 10 days. — UNI

Pakistan’s medium-range nuclear-capable Hatf-IV Shaheen-I missile takes off from an undisclosed location towards the pre-target point on Wednesday. — Reuters photo