Ceasefire may be extended

By Harish Khare

NEW DELHI, DEC. 19. The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, is likely to announce an extension of the ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir in the Lok Sabha on Friday (December 22), last day of the winter session. By that time the Government would also know the All-Party Hurriyat Conference's latest stance.

However, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, could be heard telling everyone at the Prime Minister's Iftaar party this evening that his Government would not necessarily feel itself bound by the Centre's decision. ``The Army and para-military forces could observe restraint on the border, but my police force would not feel so constrained. My people are being killed daily, and we cannot be so generous,'' he explained.

Indications have been available for some time now that the Vajpayee government has decided to extend the ``ceasefire'' beyond the month of Ramzan. But for some major violent incidents, the Government would stay with the decision. All consultations have taken place, and the Prime Minister has secured a consensus, at least, within his Government.

Earlier during the course of his intervention in the Rajya Sabha during the Ayodhya debate, Mr. Vajpayee patted his government for taking the bold decision to announce a ceasefire. And he added that ``we are ready to talk to anyone for solving the Kashmir tangle, including our neighbour (Pakistan) provided the situation improves.''

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