President Zia-ul-Haq of Pakistan said that Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assurance that India is committed to respecting Pakistan’s territorial integrity is extremely encouraging. However, the assurance has to be supplemented by physical gestures, he said. The PM’s assurance was conveyed through a letter sent by External Affairs Minister P V Narasimha Rao. Zia did not say what he wanted India to do to supplement the assurance. “It is for you to judge,” he told journalists. He, however, made it a point to stress that India being the bigger country should strive to ensure a sense of security amongst its neighbours. He said as a soldier he was extending a hand of friendship with India and was looking forward to tension-free relations between the two countries.
Rohini’s End
Rohini, the 40-kg satellite, launched into space on the vehicle SLV-3 D 1 prematurely ended its brief spin on June 9. It re-entered the atmosphere and burn out. The first developmental satellite mission thus came to unexpected end, nine days after its blast-off from Sriharikota.
Nagaland Tense
War clouds hover on Nagaland again. Reports filtering in from the Indo-Burma border and intelligence grapevine indicates that unless something spectacular is achieved by the Union Home Ministry in the coming days, the fragile peace in Nagaland might come to an end. The reports suggest that the Muivah-Isak underground group of rebels is planning to launch an attack after the rains are over. This group has never attached any significance to the Shillong Peace Accord.
Sri Lanka Emergency
The Sri Lankan government has lifted the post-election emergency imposed on June 4. Calm has returned to Jaffna, according to government sources.
