Give up J&K claim: Farooq

“I am not very optimistic that something major will be achieved in Male and solutions found overnight but the ice will be broken,” Abdullah said while addressing a meet-the-press programme organised by the Press Club of India here. He regretted that Pakistan was continuing its support to militants who were crossing into J and K from across the border and carrying out a proxy war. “But the situation has improved. Now we are getting better intelligence and cooperation of people and encounters are taking place between security forces and the mercenaries,” he said.

To a question on his remarks that the Line of Actual Control (LoC) be declared as the international border, Abdullah said this was one of the “practical solutions” in the endeavour to find peace between the two countries.

“But, ultimately, it is people of India and Pakistan who have to decide,” he said.

Replying to a series of questions on Indo-Pak relations and the Gujral Government’s policy towards Islamabad, Abdullah said, “India as a big brother has to send the right signals to Pakistan that New Delhi wants true and lasting friendship.”

But he said that without Pakistan giving up its claim on J and K, nothing much could happen.

Noting that it was the armed forces which called the shots in Pakistan, the Chief Minister said it was “the Allah, America and army” which controlled the situation in that country.

He hoped that the unilateral measures announced by India on easing the procedure for issuance of visas to Pakistani nationals and certain other steps would help in improving Indo-Pak ties and that economic considerations would compel Pakistan to better its relations with India. Defence Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today asserted in Parliament that Indian troops had given a befitting reply to Pakistan during last month’s unprovoked firing in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kargil sector.

Yadav told Lok Sabha during Question Hour that there was no delay by the Army in retaliating to artillery fire by Pakistan from across the Line of Control. He denied claims that the officers posted in the sector had to seek permission from Delhi before they could retaliate.

In a brief intervention, Prime Minister I K Gujral said India was trying to improve relations with Pakistan. “Naturally it is a process, not an event,” he added. The Defence Minister said the Army has ensured while retaliating that the civilian population across the LoC was not harmed.

Yadav said Pakistani troops targeted not only forward defended localities, but also civilian population centres in and around Kargil town between April 9 and 13. rat¬UtݏA¼Tt›ple and encounters are taking place between security forces and the mercenaries,” he said.

To a question on his remarks that the Line of Actual Control (LoC) be declared as the international border, Abdullah said this was one of the “practical solutions” in the endeavour to find peace between the two countries.

“But, ultimately, it is people of India and Pakistan who have to decide,” he said.

Replying to a series of questions on Indo-Pak relations and the Gujral Government’s policy towards Islamabad, Abdullah said, “India as a big brother has to send the right signals to Pakistan that New Delhi wants true and lasting friendship.”

But he said that without Pakistan giving up its claim on J and K, nothing much could happen.`

Noting that it was the armed forces which called the shots in Pakistan, the Chief Minister said it was “the Allah, America and army” which controlled the situation in that country.

He hoped that the unilateral measures announced by India on easing the procedure for issuance of visas to Pakistani nationals and certain other steps would help in improving Indo-Pak ties and that economic considerations would compel Pakistan to better its relations with India.