ISLAMABAD, May 7: Pakistan and India are considering a package among other proposals that could lead to establishment of a ‘zone of peace’ on the Siachen glacier.
This was disclosed by Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam while responding to a question at a weekly news briefing here on Monday.
“There are a number of proposals for a package which include the possibility of indicating current positions as well as positions where the troops should be relocated,” she declared, adding: “As part of this package a zone of peace can be established.”
“If the two sides succeed in working out an agreement, this will be an important confidence-building measure and an important development in the context of dispute resolution,” she asserted.
Her response to another query was: “If status quo was a solution to any of these problems there wouldn’t have been any need to negotiate. We are negotiating.”
She noted: “All those who are concerned about environment know that there have been a number of studies which talk about an impending environmental catastrophe as a result of the melting of the glacier.”
The spokesperson dismissed a report that the two countries had agreed to identify troops’ positions through a satellite survey.
She categorically stated that there were no training camps for militants in Azad Kashmir.
She said Pakistan had emphasised at every meeting that the committee formed by the two countries to address the issue of prisoners ought to be made functional at the earliest.
Referring to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation secretary-general’s visit to Pakistan, she said: “The two sides will discuss the situation in Afghanistan, the International Security Assistance Force’s role and how to promote stability there.”
Asked if the question of border fencing and the North Waziristan peace agreement would be taken up with the Nato secretary-general, Ms Aslam replied: “This is our internal matter.”
Commenting on the call made by the Human Rights Watch that President Pervez Musharraf should give up one of his two offices as it was contrary to the Constitution to hold both, Ms Aslam said: “It is for Pakistanis to decide.”
