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| June 7, 2002 | Friday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 25,1423 |
Joint-patrol mechanism necessary, says Nisar
ISLAMABAD, June 6: Federal Information Minister Nisar A. Memon said here on Thursday that New Delhi’s presentation of proposal of “joint patrol” on the Line of Control through media looks “strange if not funny” in view of the current military standoff.
“The presentation of a serious proposal through media looks strange if not funny at this point when the Indian and Pakistani forces, which have fought three wars in the past, are stationed eyeball-to-eyeball,” he said.
Briefing newsmen at the Press Information Department, Nisar reiterated Islamabad’s position that India present the proposal of “joint patrol” by the forces of the two countries formally through diplomatic channel.
“That will be the beginning of a dialogue between the two countries,” he underlined.
He said India should understand that there has to be a mechanism for joint patrols, and “we will discuss the counter proposals as well.”
The information minister said the Indian prime minister’s proposal appeared to be the “beginning of dialogue” as he was under tremendous international pressure.
“But due to domestic compulsions, the Indian prime minister seems compelled to move slowly towards dialogue.”
Replying to a question, he said President Pervez Musharraf’s unconditional offer of dialogue should be a huge face-saving opportunity for India.
“We offered the unconditional dialogue offer — what bigger face-saving (opportunity) are they wishing for.”
Nisar said India would be isolated diplomatically if it did not heed to international calls for dialogue, including those coming from Moscow.
Contrastingly, he added, Pakistan’s stand for dialogue was supported by 14 of the 16 nations at the Almaty CICA moot — Pakistan’s position had grown stronger.”
He said President Musharraf’s government was committed to extend moral, political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiris, who had waged an indigenous uprising against illegal occupation.
“New Delhi should respond to the international concern and allow human rights organizations into the Occupied Kashmir. It is time that the right-minded people in India exert correct influence on New Delhi.”
Nisar said the Indian ploys and stage-managed episodes could no longer mislead the world.
“India will have to hold talks on Kashmir and the Indian tyranny in the occupied Kashmir will have to be stopped,” he said, referring to violence let loose by over 750,000 Indian occupation forces.
AL QAEDA: Regarding US forces fighting the resurfacing Al Qaeda militants on Pakistani soil, the information minister said: “No US forces will come and fight Al Qaeda in our territory — we will handle them — our police, rangers, frontier constabulary and military are better placed to fight terrorists on our soil,” he told newsmen.
However, he said, Pakistani forces would benefit from the intelligence provided by the US as they were better equipped in intelligence gathering.
Nisar said the US and the ISAF were fighting Al Qaeda across the Afghan border.—APP
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