04 August 2004	Wednesday	17 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

LAHORE, Aug 3: Federal information minister Sheikh Rashid says peace talks with India will not last long if the Kashmir dispute is ignored.

Talking to senior journalists in a local hotel on Tuesday, he said holding talks with New Delhi was the right decision at the right time. It was for the first time that the world community had given so much importance to the issue.

Answering a question, he said Islamabad believed in a solution to the conflict that would reflect aspirations of Kashmiris themselves. He told a questioner that troops would not be sent to Iraq. "How can we send our troops to Baghdad when other states are pulling out their respective forces from there," he asked.

He said he was representing views and emotions of the nation on the subject. About the killing of two kidnapped Pakistanis in Iraq, the minister said the kidnappers had given too little time to the Pakistan government in their ultimatum.

He did not agree with the assertion that Raja Azad and Sajid Naeem had lost their lives because Islamabad did not say in categorical terms that it would not send troops to Iraq.

Referring to the increase in terrorist incidents, Sheikh Rashid said secret agencies had succeeded in penetrating terrorists' network and their infrastructure would soon be uprooted.

He said around nine people had been taken into custody in connection with the attack on prime minister-designate Shaukat Aziz and a breakthrough in investigations was expected in a couple of days.

Referring to the contradiction between his and interior minister Faisal Saleh's statements regarding the arrest of a computer engineer related to Al Qaeda, he said as chief spokesman for the government, he had disclosed all facts to the nation.

He regretted that though Pakistan had captured most of the terrorists, its credibility was being suspected. He, however, would not say who was suspecting its credibility.

He told a questioner that only those terrorists were handed over to the US whose own country's government refused to accept them. They were investigated by local agencies before being given in the custody of America.

He denied that American pressure mattered in this issue. Answering a query, he said the issue of uniform would be settled according to the 17th amendment. However, only a constitutional expert could interpret the spirit of the amendment.

Replying to a question about statements of Baloch nationalist leader Ataullah Mengal, the minister said Mengal was used to issuing poisonous statements. He said there was no army action in Balochistan. However, if someone attacked the life and property of citizens the government would have to take steps for their protection, he added.