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India rejects Musharraf's ceasefire proposal

August 12, 2003 18:18 IST
Last Updated: August 12, 2003 18:38 IST


Rejecting as 'propagandist' Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's call for ceasefire along Line of Control and inside Kashmir, India on Tuesday said 'facts' point to continuing Pakistani support to terrorism directed against it.

"There is nothing new in these suggestions," external affairs ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna told reporters when asked about remarks made by Musharraf to visiting Indian parliamentarians and journalists in Islamabad.

"Instead of propagandist statements, Pakistan should take effective and long-term oriented measures to dismantle the infrastructure of support to terrorism," he said. 

Musharraf proposed a ceasefire along the LoC and offered to 'facilitate' a truce in Jammu and Kashmir if India stopped 'atrocities' in the state.

In characteristic blow-hot-blow-cold pronouncements, the Pakistani ruler said that a ceasefire can be achieved on the LoC by tomorrow morning by giving orders today to the two armies.

"These suggestions have not been found effective in the past because Pakistan has continued to sponsor terrorism directed against India and provided support to cross-border infiltration." Sarna said.

"Once this is stopped and Pakistani-aided terrorist stop crossing the LoC, the level of firing would naturally go down."

The spokesman reminded Islamabad: "There is nothing to prevent Pakistan-aided terrorists to stop their activities inside J&K."

"Once these activities stop, there would inevitably be a change in the necessary measures required to be taken by the security forces," he said.

New Delhi also voiced its disappointment over the suggestions emanating from the Pakistani leadership that they had done all that they could to stop cross-border infiltration and terrorism.

"The facts point to continuing Pakistani support through funding, training, indoctrination, launch and guidance," he said.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri had on Monday told an Indian television channel that Islamabad has done all it could when asked about continuing cross-border terrorism.

Asked about Musharraf's comments that the Kargil episode should be forgotten and both sides should look at the future, the spokesman said, "We are talking about moving ahead. Prime Minister's (Atal Bihari Vajpayee) initiative is all about moving ahead."


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