KARACHI, April 8: Peace activists, advocating confidence building measures between Pakistan and India, on Tuesday expressed grave concern over the Indian external affairs minister’s threat of a preemptive war on Pakistan and the scarcely restrained response by Islamabad.

In a statement, the Pakistan Peace Coalition and the Pakistan-India People’s Forum termed it a new low in ties between India and Pakistan.

They noted that both the countries had recently carried out new missile tests. Looked at carefully, Mr Sinha was threatening a massive preemptive nuclear strike while Pakistani officials were promising a fitting reply, naturally also a nuclear riposte, they maintained.

The two NGOs maintained that the deadlock between them being complete, the two capitals had been reduced to impotent rage and name-calling at best; both of them calling upon America to play its part and do vis-a-vis their neighbour what either dares not, was absurd and dangerous.

They maintained it was dangerous because it would provide the US the opportunity to serve its own purpose.

They maintained that salvation of both the countries lied in a people-to-people reconciliation, and urged the two governments to restore communications links to pave the way for people-to-people contact.