M A I N   N E W S

Musharraf ready to open LoC

Muzaffarabad, October 18
President Pervez Musharraf said today that Pakistan was ready to open the Line of Control, allowing Indian Kashmiris to come and join aid efforts after the earthquake.

“We will allow any amount of people coming across the LoC to meet their relatives and assist with the reconstruction effort,” Musharraf told reporters on a visit to the ravaged Muzaffarabad.

He also proposed that political leaders of both sides should interact to “assist each other with the reconstruction efforts.”

“No formal proposal has been made to New Delhi. It is being put across through you,” Musharraf said, referring to the media.

“The modalities of this need to be worked out... and we expect a response to be coming from the Indian side.”

Musharraf also said he wanted mobile telephone companies to open “linkages with their brethren” to let Kashmir’s divided families talk to one another after the quake.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said separately that mobile telephone service would be extended to Kashmiris living near the de facto border, known as the LoC. — AFP

India welcomes proposal
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 18
India today welcomed President Pervez Musharraf’s reported offer that Pakistan was willing to open the Line of Control (LoC) for Kashmiris to join in quake relief but maintained that implementation of the proposal will have to be worked out.

Musharraf said in Muzaffarabad that Pakistan was ready to open the LoC, allowing Indian Kashmiris to join aid efforts after the earthquake. “We have only seen news reports. If this is what has been said, India welcomes the remark,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said tonight.

Stating that the proposal was “in line with India’s advocacy of greater movement across the LoC”, he said India was willing “to facilitate the movement”. He, however, added that New Delhi will wait to hear officially from Pakistan about the practical dimension of implementing this intention.