Musharraf outlines 3-stage talks, likely to open consulates

Ruling out chances of Islamabad accepting LoC as border to resolve the Kashmir issue, President Pervez Musharraf has indicated that India and Pakistan would be holding three rounds of talks at foreign secretary-level, beginning next month to work out a step-by-step approach to discuss Kashmir and other matters.

‘‘We have neither accepted the idea of making the LoC a permanent border before nor is there any question of accepting it in future,’’ he reportedly told leaders of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) while apprising them of his meeting with PM A.B. Vajpayee. Musharraf admitted the methodology for the talks agreed by the two countries was ‘‘a re-enactment of the Lahore process,’’ according to the resume of the President’s meeting on Thursday, published in Dawn today.

Also, at a meeting with MQM parliamentarians, Musharraf said the confidence building measures could result in reopening of consulates in Karachi and Mumbai and opening of the road link between Khokhrapar in Sindh and Rajasthan. The consulates were closed in 1992 following a dispute between the two countries over Jinnah House in Mumbai. Diplomats said talks on the road link, operating a ferry service between Karachi and Mumbai, besides the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service could begin around January 20.—(PTI)