May 20, 2002	Monday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 7, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, May 19: Foreign Office Spokesman Aziz Ahmad Khan called upon India to withdraw its troops from border and resolve all disputes with Pakistan through talks.

Talking to BBC Radio, he said there should be de-escalation and lessening of tension and all disputes should be resolved through talks.

India is mounting the tension but we are still trying to lessen it, he added. He expressed disappointment over India’s decision to ask Pakistan to call back its High Commissioner Jehangir Ashraf Qazi.

“We are greatly disappointed over this step,” he said.

The spokesman said when India had called back its High Commissioner from Pakistan, at that time we had not reciprocated as we were of the view that talks and contact at high diplomatic level should continue between the two countries. That is why Pakistan had not called back its High Commissioner from India, he reminded.

Aziz said the situation on borders is very dangerous. We had said earlier that troops should be pulled back from the borders. India had deployed its troops on the borders and we had to respond.

The Indian forces have been resorting to firing as a result of which a number of civilians have been killed. It is absolutely wrong. They should withdraw their troops from the borders and resolve all the disputes through talks, he added.—APP