ISLAMABAD, Nov 13: Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's announcement on Thursday to reduce troops in occupied Kashmir this winter will assume significance only once key facts about the timeframe of the proposed reduction as well as the number , category and location of troops to be withdrawn are declared.

There are strong indications that New Delhi may not divulge any details. When Dawn asked a senior Indian diplomat about this on Friday, he made it quite clear that details would not be made public. His argument was that it was an internal issue and as a matter of principle operational details were never disclosed. The diplomat did not want to be named.

The Indian diplomat was non-committal when asked if the decision on troop reduction was taken as a confidence-building measure on Kashmir. He merely referred to the official statement and emphasised that it was based on a review of the internal security situation, downplaying its bilateral dimension.

The Kashmiris who are bearing the brunt of the presence of Indian forces have given a mixed reaction to the Indian premier's announcement that came ahead of his planned visit to the disputed region. Some have welcomed it, while others have rejected it as an eyewash.

Meanwhile, it is not yet clear if this announcement means that India has decided to abandon the idea of raising a special force for Kashmir, a proposal reportedly made by Indian corps commanders recently. Also, it is to be seen if the temporary division created by the Indian Army for the protection of Amarnath Yatris two years ago will stay.

The Indian Prime Minister's statement that the troops reduction decision will remain under constant review given alleged infiltration attempts from across the LoC, is seen by analysts here as an to attempt to blunt domestic criticism of the move.

The timing of the announcement is significant. It comes less than two weeks before Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz's first meeting with his Indian counterpart in New Delhi and the second round of talks between India and Pakistan. Also, it follows President Gen Pervez Musharraf's call last month for demilitarization of the disputed region and US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage s visit to the region earlier this week.

The decision also comes amid outrage and protests in occupied Kashmir at the rape of a 10-year-old Kashmiri girl and her mother by an Indian army major. Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has threatened to boycott talks with the Indian government if human rights violations do not stop. He has demanded that India send all its forces back to the barracks to create a conducive environment for the peace process.

Despite the ongoing peace process between Pakistan and India, killings and violence have spiralled in held Kashmir. Human rights abuses by Indian security forces, including rape, torture, abductions, and summary executions are frequently reported. According to data compiled by the research section of the Kashmir Media Service, 108 Kashmiris were killed last month by Indian troops.

A violence update by the APHC in September showed that since 1989, around 90,000 Kashmiris have been killed by Indian security Indian forces, more than 106,166 have been orphaned, and more than 9,000 women have been sexually abused and 22,145 widowed.