Vajpayee consults close aides

Published June 9, 2002

NEW DELHI, June 8: Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee summoned an impromptu meeting of his senior cabinet ministers on Saturday, amid speculation that New Delhi is gearing up to announce a major step to enhance peace in South Asia.

The more than two-hour meeting included Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani, number two in the cabinet after the prime minister, Defence Minister George Fernandes and Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh, officials said.

However, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan told reporters that the meeting focused on selecting candidates in next month’s vote for post of president.

“India-Pakistan relations were not discussed at the meeting,” said Mahajan, the cabinet spokesman.

The Indian media was awash on Saturday with speculation that New Delhi will announce some “matching gestures.”

—AFP

Opinion

Editorial

Doctor attacked
09 Jun, 2026

Doctor attacked

AN act of reprehensible violence has shaken the medical community. On Saturday, an employee of the Provincial Civil...
AJK flare-up
Updated 09 Jun, 2026

AJK flare-up

The situation started deteriorating after a trader affiliated with the JAAC was reportedly shot in an altercation with law-enforcers.
Fault lines
09 Jun, 2026

Fault lines

THE April 8 ceasefire that halted hostilities between Israel and Iran has encountered its most serious test yet....
Soft on traders
08 Jun, 2026

Soft on traders

THE Fixed Tax Asaan Scheme for traders with an annual turnover of up to Rs200m has been designed as a ‘pragmatic...
Ceasefire in name
Updated 08 Jun, 2026

Ceasefire in name

Both sides accuse the other of violating the truce that was supposed to halt the conflict in April, yet neither appears willing to abandon negotiations altogether.
Damaged childhoods
08 Jun, 2026

Damaged childhoods

CHILD abuse is so prevalent that the UN ranked Pakistan as the least safe country for children. Even so, more than...