The Hindu : Ready to go to Delhi, says Jamali

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 01, 2003

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Ready to go to Delhi, says Jamali

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD April 30. To give a fillip to the peace initiative of the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, Pakistan is likely to announce a package of confidence-building measures (CBMs) in the next few days.

According to sources in the Pakistan Government these could include opening up its skies to the Indian flights, proposal for the appointment of the High Commissioner in New Delhi, announcement of dates for holding of the SAARC Summit and liberalisation of the visa regime.

The eagerness of Pakistan to carry forward the latest peace initiative was also evident from the statement made by the Prime Minister, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali that in case Mr. Vajpayee was unable to travel to Islamabad, he was prepared to go to New Delhi for a dialogue.

It is believed that the Pakistan Foreign Office has prepared a panel of names as possible candidates as Islamabad's chief diplomat in New Delhi. The names are reportedly under consideration by the Pakistan Foreign Minister, Khurshid Mehmud Kasuri.

Of course Pakistan could consider posting a High Commissioner in New Delhi only if there is an agreement between India and Pakistan to restore the status of the mission. India downgraded the mission in Pakistan, following the December 13 attack and six months later asked Islamabad to withdraw its then High Commissioner, Ashraf Jehangir Qazi on grounds of `parity'.

As for the SAARC Summit, the Pakistan Foreign Minister has already announced that new dates would soon be communicated to the SAARC Secretariat and member states. Islamabad had originally proposed the Summit in the second week of January but had to postpone it indefinitely on account of Indo-Pak tensions.

Ironically even as the talk on the new peace initiative becomes intense, the Indian Airlines is sticking to its decision to shut down the Lahore office. Though air links were snapped from January 1, 2002 Pakistan and India continued with their airline offices.

However over a month ago Indian Airlines had decided to close down its establishment in Lahore while retaining the set-up in Karachi. The General Manager of the Lahore Office was summoned to Delhi for consultations on closure operations and it appears there is no change in the decision.

In another development the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf has said that foreigners were not a threat to Pakistan, but the major danger to its integrity was from religious extremists, which were involved in the politics of hatred.

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