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Journalism of Courage
The day after India and Pakistan agreed to have a composite dialogue, Pakistan Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali said that the peace process was facilitated by some other countries. He, however, maintained that he would not like to ‘‘disclose the names of all the players which were involved in this process of facilitating a dialogue.’’
He told BBC World’s Asia Today that a ‘‘number of friends and colleagues on both sides helped us.’’ ‘‘I would not like to open all my cards at this instant,’’ he said. ‘‘The process was also facilitated by some other countries.’’
When asked about the threat from extremists to the dialogue process and criticism that Pakistan has given more, he said collective interest has to overcome self-interest and for that if ‘‘sacrifices are required, these have to be made’’.
‘‘It’s a question of sacrificing for certain goals. We must know what we want to achieve and for those goals if sacrifices will be required, so be it. Many sacrifices will be required to achieve peace and we are willing to make them if peace can be achieved,’’ he said. ‘‘But I think the joint agreement is a win-win situation for both India and Pakistan.’’
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Jamali also invited ‘‘Pakistan-based Kashmiri leaders’’ today to apprise them about the peace initiatives. Musharraf will meet them in Islamabad tomorrow. Musharraf and Jamali also met top officials to take stock of the week’s developments.
In New Delhi, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee briefed his colleagues at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). During the 80-minute meeting, the CCS discussed the talks between Vajpayee and Musharraf and Jamali on the sidleines of the SAARC summit. According to sources, the CCS discussed the various issues that will come up when the bilateral talks begin next month. The CCS also discussed the level at which the ‘‘composite dialogue’’ will be held.
