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| July 18, 2006 | Tuesday | Jumadi-ul-Sani 21, 1427 |
‘India should not derail peace process’
ISLAMABAD, July 17: Senior Vice President Pakistan Muslim League Gohar Ayub Khan on Monday regretted New Delhi’s decision of postponing Pakistan-India foreign secretary-level talks, which were due to open on July 14.
In a statement, he noted that Pakistan had not been informed about the reason for the postponement of talks, implying India herself was not convinced that the Mumbai terrorist attack could serve as a good reason.
Mr Ayub said the Indian leaders said different things in the same breath, showing their confusion. “On the one hand the Indian prime minister raises finger towards Pakistan and on the other hand the Indian government officials claims that New Delhi does not want to derail the peace process,” Gohar Ayub said adding that blaming Pakistan without hitting at substantial evidence and postponement of agreed bilateral talks did affect the peace process.
Mr Ayub said there had been fears in both process but there had also been consensus among peace lobbyists of both sides that nothing should be allowed to hinder the peace process. “A fast moving peace process would always discourage anti-peace element,” he said adding that full normalisation of relations between Pakistan and India would be a guarantee against such happenings.
He cautioned that terrorist elements would gain strength in both the countries if the peace prospects were allowed to erode. He said Pakistan and India could succeed in curbing terrorism provided they join hands.
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