International - India & World   

"Demilitarisation is the demand of Kashmiri people"

Nirupama Subramanian

Narayanan's message to Sri Lanka reflective India's attitude to neighbours

ISLAMABAD: External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee's remarks that Kashmir is not militarised and security forces are deployed in the State for law-enforcing duties drew an indirect reaction from the Pakistan Foreign Ministry, which on Monday said demilitarisation was the demand of the Kashmiri people.

It was, however, blunt in describing National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan's message to Sri Lanka that it should not buy weapons from Pakistan and China as reflective of "India's attitude" towards its neighbours and the region. "Pakistan is very clear in its position that we do not accept the hegemonic tendency of any country in the region, and that respect for sovereign equality is essential for peace and harmony in the region," spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said at the weekly Foreign Office briefing here.

Asked about Mr. Mukherjee's remarks at a conference on regional issues in Shimla, she said any credible effort at addressing the Kashmir issue "would have to be sensitive to the needs of the Kashmiri people, and demilitarisation is a unanimous demand of all Kashmiris, on both sides of the Line of Control and in the diaspora."

Ms. Aslam said, "Any just and practical solution to the Kashmir issue would have to respond to [the demilitarisation] demand."

Reacting to Mr. Mukherjee's comment that there was no time frame for resolving the Kashmir question, the spokesperson said, "If there is political will, the issue can be resolved very quickly."

Pakistan had demonstrated the political will, she said, but refused to say if that meant India had not.

To a question whether India slowed down the peace process due to the political crisis in Pakistan, the spokesperson said the domestic situation of either country should have no impact on the peace process.

This was Pakistan's position, and there was no feedback from India to suggest any disagreement, she said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

China unveils action plan to address climate change
Russia may point missiles at Europe
Thousands displaced
Stress on species survival
Journalists protest gag on TV channels
Indonesia for defence tie-up with India
"Demilitarisation is the demand of Kashmiri people"
Indian POWs families visit Karachi prison

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu